Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – The FIA has released its official statement explaining the five-second time penalty handed to Max Verstappen during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, while Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has presented onboard camera evidence he believes proves the Dutchman was unfairly penalized.
The incident in question occurred on the opening lap of the race as Verstappen, starting from pole position, went wheel-to-wheel with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri into the first corner. Piastri made a strong start and moved alongside Verstappen. The FIA stewards determined that Piastri’s front axle was at least alongside Verstappen’s mirror prior to and at the apex of the corner, thus giving Piastri the right to the racing line. Verstappen ran wide off the track at Turn 2 and rejoined ahead of Piastri, maintaining the lead.
Following an investigation, the stewards deemed that Verstappen had left the track and gained a lasting advantage by not relinquishing the position. The standard penalty for such an offense is typically ten seconds. However, the FIA statement noted that the stewards considered the fact that this occurred on the first lap and at the first corner as mitigating circumstances, leading to the imposition of a five-second penalty instead. This penalty was served during Verstappen’s pit stop, ultimately impacting his race and contributing to his finishing second behind Piastri.
Red Bull and Verstappen were visibly unhappy with the decision. In the post-race media briefing, Christian Horner presented a series of screenshots taken from Verstappen’s onboard camera. Horner argued that these images clearly showed Verstappen to be ahead of Piastri at the apex of the corner, thus giving him the right to the racing line and negating the claim that he gained an unfair advantage by going off track.
“I thought it was very harsh,” Horner told reporters, holding up the printed images. “We didn’t concede the position because we didn’t believe that he’d done anything wrong. You can quite clearly see at the apex of the corner that Max is clearly ahead.”
Despite Horner’s presentation of this evidence, Red Bull has indicated they are unlikely to pursue a formal right of review of the penalty. Horner acknowledged that overturning such decisions is typically difficult. However, he emphasized the team’s disagreement with the stewards’ interpretation of the incident and the application of the racing rules.
The debate surrounding the penalty has divided fans and experts, with opinions varying on whether Verstappen was entitled to the space or if he indeed gained an unfair advantage. The incident has once again ignited discussions about the consistency and clarity of F1’s racing regulations, particularly concerning battles in the opening laps of a race.
Verstappen himself was somewhat reserved in his comments after the race, stating that “it is what it is” and focusing on the positive aspects of his car’s pace. However, the controversy surrounding the penalty is likely to continue as the F1 community analyzes the onboard footage and the FIA’s reasoning in the days following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
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