Max Verstappen Penalty Compared to ‘Lifelong Sen…read more
Former Haas F1 team principal Guenther Steiner has strongly criticized the FIA stewards’ decision to give Max Verstappen a reduced time penalty during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, comparing it to a judge being reluctant to hand out a life sentence.
The incident occurred during the opening lap of the race, as Verstappen battled Oscar Piastri. At the apex of a corner, Piastri had the advantage, but Verstappen left the track and rejoined ahead, effectively gaining a position. This move breached Article 33.3 of Formula 1’s sporting regulations, which states that leaving the circuit and gaining an advantage typically warrants a 10-second time penalty.
However, the stewards opted to issue only a five-second penalty to Verstappen. They cited the fact that the incident occurred on the first lap as a mitigating factor, choosing to show leniency due to the often chaotic and tightly packed nature of lap one racing.
The penalty ultimately cost Verstappen a shot at victory, but the reduction in the usual penalty has sparked debate. Steiner, appearing on the Red Flags podcast, expressed his frustration with the decision, arguing that the stewards should have either fully enforced the rule or not penalized Verstappen at all.
According to Steiner, the stewards’ attempt to be lenient undermines consistency in rule enforcement. He compared the situation to a judge in a courtroom issuing a life sentence. “If a judge gives someone a life sentence without parole, he knows the person won’t be happy. But it’s his job to do what’s right,” Steiner explained. He emphasized that the role of the stewards is similar — to uphold the rules regardless of public or driver reaction.
He went on to say that if the stewards genuinely believed Verstappen’s move warranted a penalty, they should have given him the full 10 seconds and clearly explained the reasoning behind it. Offering a reduced penalty based on the timing of the incident, he argued, sets a confusing precedent and opens the door to subjective rulings.
“It’s all wishy-washy again,” Steiner said, referring to the FIA’s inconsistency. He warned that using different standards for first-lap incidents creates more ambiguity in what should be a rule-bound sport.
Although Steiner personally disagreed with penalizing Verstappen at all, he stated that if the FIA insists on enforcing penalties, they should apply them consistently, regardless of when the infraction occurs during a race.
His comments reflect growing concern among fans and insiders about the inconsistency of stewarding decisions in Formula 1, and the need for clearer and firmer regulation enforcement moving forward.
