Christian Horner Discusses Unlikely Protest Against Penalty Call at Saudi Grand Prix

The reigning four-time world champion, Max Verstappen, narrowly missed out on victory at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to a contentious penalty decision. Starting from pole position, Verstappen finished runner-up to McLaren‘s Oscar Piastri after receiving a five-second penalty for an incident on lap one.

The Incident and Its Aftermath

In the opening skirmish at Turn 1, Piastri attacked down the inside, forcing Verstappen off track to safeguard his lead. Despite feeling that Piastri had forced him off, Red Bull opted against conceding the position. However, stewards deemed otherwise, and Verstappen served his penalty in the pitlane, ultimately dropping behind Piastri and fellow front-row starter.

The decision effectively decided the grand prix, leaving Verstappen and Red Bull seething with frustration. Horner revealed that a right of review was unlikely but that new evidence might still be presented to the stewards.

Analyzing the Decision and Its Impact

Horner expressed his belief that the decision was harsh, stating that Verstappen was clearly ahead at the Turn 1 apex. He also suggested that the rules of engagement may need reevaluation, as the initial lap collision seemed to have been overlooked. If Red Bull had conceded the position, they would have risked running in Piastri’s dirty air and potentially falling behind George Russell.

Despite the five-second penalty, Verstappen and Red Bull were in good shape, with Verstappen finishing just 2.6 seconds behind Piastri on the same stint. Had it not been for the penalty, the race would have been won by Verstappen. Horner acknowledged that there would always be differing opinions over such marginal decisions.

The Stewards’ Perspective and Potential Review

Horner hinted at the possibility of presenting new evidence to the stewards, particularly onboard footage that was unavailable at the time of the decision. He also suggested that the five-second penalty instead of the usual 10-second indicated that the stewards were uncertain about the incident at the time.

Horner questioned the stewards’ decision to allow the drivers to race on the first lap, as it seemed to have been abandoned. He expressed his hope for a reevaluation of the rules to prevent similar incidents in the future.