Christian Horner Calls Out FIA After Red Bull F1 F… read more
Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has expressed his frustration with the FIA’s handling of a controversial incident involving Max Verstappen and George Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. The criticism follows a dramatic turn of events in which Red Bull instructed Verstappen to give fourth place back to Russell after an aggressive first-lap battle, only for it to be revealed later that the move had been unnecessary according to the FIA’s own ruling.
The controversy began when Verstappen, attempting to hold his position into Turn 1, was forced off the track by Russell, who was deemed by the FIA not to have full control of his Mercedes at the time of the overtake. Despite this, Red Bull, erring on the side of caution, told Verstappen to relinquish the position to avoid a potential penalty. The move was made in the heat of the moment, without clear direction from the race director or stewards, sparking confusion and ultimately a strategic error that played a role in Verstappen’s downfall during the race.
Speaking to the media after the race, Horner didn’t hold back in calling for more decisive action from the FIA during such contentious moments. “That’s where it would be nice as the referee, as a race director, to either say, ‘Play on’ or, ‘You need to give it back’,” Horner said. “It’s very hard for the team subjectively to try and make that call because you’re going on historical precedence. You’re looking at what you have in front of you, and you’re trying to pre-empt what the stewards and the race directors are thinking.”
Horner went on to argue that teams should not be put in the position of interpreting what the FIA might decide after the fact, especially in the fast-paced and high-stakes environment of a Grand Prix. “I think it would be beneficial to the teams in that instance for the race director to make that call and say, ‘You either give it back or you get a penalty’, rather than having to try and second guess what the stewards are going to do,” he added.
The incident only added to a frustrating weekend for Red Bull, compounded by a questionable strategy call that saw Verstappen placed on the hard C1 tyres during a late safety car restart. The compound, known for its lack of grip and limited performance throughout the weekend, severely hampered Verstappen’s ability to fight back in the race. Visibly frustrated, the Dutch driver radioed the team to complain about the tyre choice, saying he had no grip and couldn’t challenge the cars around him.
Verstappen’s frustration culminated in a controversial collision with Russell after the restart, which many in the paddock interpreted as a deliberate move born out of anger. The stewards agreed it was avoidable and handed Verstappen a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points on his super licence, a costly outcome for a driver embroiled in a tight championship fight.
The situation only deteriorated further post-race. According to Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, Verstappen was so incensed by the series of errors and the outcome of the race that he skipped the team’s post-race debrief entirely — a rare move for the usually committed champion. The team is now under pressure not only to evaluate the performance of their RB21 chassis but also to reassess their communication and strategic decision-making under race conditions.
With the championship battle heating up, Red Bull’s Barcelona fiasco has raised serious questions about intra-team coordination and the role of the FIA in ensuring clarity during high-pressure moments. Horner’s call for reform may reignite broader discussions within the sport about how race management decisions are communicated and enforced in real time.
