Horner convinced ‘harsh’ penalty cost Verstappen Jeddah win

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was steadfast Sunday evening in Jeddah in his belief that Max Verstappen would have won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix had it not been for a controversial five-second penalty incurred by the Dutchman following a first-corner incident with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

The penalty, which Horner deemed as overly harsh, ultimately handed the win to Piastri, marking the Australian’s first back-to-back victories of the season.

Horner’s post-race comments reflected both his frustration with the stewards’ decision and his confidence in Red Bull’s competitive pace, offering a glimpse into the team’s optimism despite the setback.

Starting from pole, Verstappen faced immediate pressure from Piastri, who launched off the line with superior speed. As the duo approached Turn 1, the McLaren driver edged ahead at the apex, forcing Verstappen to attempt an outside pass.

Running out of room, the latter veered off-track, cutting the chicane to maintain his lead. Both drivers immediately took to their radios, each blaming the other for the commotion.

The stewards, however, ruled that Verstappen had gained a lasting advantage by leaving the track, slapping him with a five-second penalty to be served at his pit stop.

Piastri capitalized on the sanction, pitting earlier than Verstappen and emerging ahead after the Red Bull driver’s delayed stop. The McLaren driver held his lead to the chequered flag, finishing just 2.8 seconds ahead of Verstappen, who settled for second place.

The outcome left Horner and Verstappen visibly aggrieved, convinced that the penalty had cost them a deserved win.

Horner’s Critique: A 'Harsh' Call

In his post-race remarks to Sky Sports F1, Horner took exception with the stewards’ decision, questioning its alignment with the sport’s ethos of hard racing, particularly on the opening lap.

“We had that sort of discussion with the race directors, obviously, before the race through briefings and whatever else,” he said.

“I mean, we have this notion of let them race. I don’t know where Max was supposed to go with that first corner.”

Horner argued that Verstappen had little choice but to go off-track, given Piastri’s aggressive move, and emphasized the tight margin of defeat.

“We’ve lost the race by 2.6 seconds, so it’s tough.”

Horner’s frustration was compounded by his belief that the penalty was inconsistent with pre-race discussions about allowing drivers to race freely at the start.

He pointed to photographic evidence, which he presented in the media briefing, to argue that Verstappen was ahead at the apex and thus unfairly penalized.

Red Bull’s Pace: A Silver Lining

Despite the disappointment, Horner was quick to highlight the positives from the race, particularly the RB21’s impressive pace, which kept Verstappen competitive even after serving the penalty.

“Yeah, absolutely, I mean, we pulled a gap [at the start]. Let’s not forget [that] on Friday, McLaren had 1.2 seconds on everybody,” he explained.

“I thought the pace in the car, Max was feeling comfortable out there and he was pulling out the gap.”

• Read also: Verstappen-Piastri Turn 1 incident explained by stewards

Verstappen’s ability to build a lead early in the race, despite trailing Piastri closely, underscored Red Bull’s potential to dominate had the penalty not intervened.

Horner also acknowledged the strategic challenge posed by the penalty.

“We were trying to get the gap at the pit stop, even with the penalty, but it wasn’t to be,” he said.

“So, good points, important points today – we’re only 12 points off the lead of the championship. We’ve taken a few points out of Lando, so yeah, everything to play for.”

This optimism reflects Red Bull’s focus on the bigger picture, with Verstappen sitting just 12 points behind championship leader Piastri after five races.

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