2 weeks Ago
Red Bull is unlikely to contest the stewards' decision to impose a contentious 5-second penalty on Max Verstappen during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Verstappen and title rival Oscar Piastri battled side-by-side into turn one, with the Red Bull driver keeping the lead after cutting across the chicane. Piastri, who emerged as the new championship leader and race winner, stood firm on his position.
"I'm sticking to it—this corner belonged to me," he told Viaplay. "I told myself 'I'm not giving way here'. Everyone saw what happened next.
" With Piastri's victory margin being less than the penalty's 5 seconds, Verstappen was incensed, point-blank refusing to discuss the matter with the media. "I don't care," he told Viaplay when pressed for his thoughts on why he wouldn't answer. "I don't want to talk about it.
" When again asked why, he added, "Because I don't want to." Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko spoke on Verstappen's behalf, labelling the penalty "a bit harsh." He noted, "We watched the Formula 2 races and the same thing happened to two or three drivers.
And they only received warnings." Marko added, "Ultimately, Max is right when he says 'it is what it is'." Team principal Christian Horner , visibly frustrated, brought printed telemetry and onboard photo evidence to his post-race media session.
"We will ask them (the FIA) to look at new onboard footage, which was not available at that time," he said. However, he downplayed the likelihood of a formal protest or request for a 'right of review'. "We will discuss it and present these images to them, but it (a protest) is very unlikely.
I also don't know what happened to the principle of 'let them race' in the first corner. That seems to have disappeared completely," Horner remarked. Marko echoed this sentiment to Austrian broadcaster ORF, stating, "In theory we can file a protest, but then you have to provide new evidence—and therefore you have to have new evidence.
But on the television images you can actually see everything, so we see no reason to file a protest." Verstappen himself showed no interest in pursuing the matter. "No, it is not in my interests," he said.
"It is only in my interests to go home." Notably, even Piastri acknowledged that Verstappen's actions were not particularly severe in his view. "If it had been the other way around, me on that side instead of him, it probably would have looked identical," the Australian admitted.
Verstappen, in turn, refrained from criticising Piastri, who is emerging as his key contender for the 2025 world championship. "He's very solid," Verstappen said. "He's very calm in his approach, and I like that.
It shows on track. He delivers when he has to—barely makes mistakes, and that's what you need when you want to fight for a championship.".
