Max Verstappen Skips F1 Podium Tradition After Controversial dis… read more
Max Verstappen stirred attention at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix not only for his on-track performance but also for his reaction during the post-race podium ceremony. The Red Bull driver, who has won four world championships, was visibly displeased after receiving a five-second penalty that played a key role in the race outcome.
The controversy began right from the start. As the lights went out, Verstappen found himself in a tight battle for the lead with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Heading into Turn 1, the two drivers were side-by-side. In a tense moment, Verstappen veered off the track and rejoined ahead of Piastri, reclaiming the lead. However, race stewards ruled that Verstappen had left the track and gained an advantage, prompting them to impose a five-second time penalty.
This decision significantly impacted the final results. Piastri, driving an impressive race for McLaren, capitalized on the penalty and crossed the line first, securing a memorable victory. Verstappen, despite his efforts to pull out a gap to mitigate the penalty, was demoted to second place. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc rounded out the podium in third.
Following the dramatic end to the race, attention turned to the podium celebrations. In Formula 1, it’s a longstanding tradition for the top three drivers to spray champagne—or, in the case of races held in countries with alcohol restrictions like Saudi Arabia, sparkling rose water—after receiving their trophies. However, Verstappen appeared to snub the tradition entirely. While Piastri and Leclerc engaged in the customary spraying, Verstappen was seen calmly sipping from his bottle, deliberately avoiding participation in the celebration.
The moment quickly went viral on social media, with fans and analysts pointing to Verstappen’s obvious displeasure. Veteran F1 photographer Kym Illman commented on the incident via social media, noting, “On the podium it was clear Max was not impressed with the penalty handed down to him during the race tonight. He chose not to take part in the bubbly spraying.”
Verstappen’s muted reaction drew further attention to the penalty itself, which sparked debate within the paddock. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was quick to defend his driver and criticized the stewards’ decision. “I thought it was very harsh,” Horner stated. “We didn’t concede the position because we didn’t believe we had done anything wrong.”
Horner further elaborated on Red Bull’s perspective, noting that they had presented video evidence in defense of Verstappen. “You can quite clearly see at the apex of the corner we believe that Max is clearly ahead. I can’t see how the stewards got to that conclusion,” he said. “They’ve both gone into the corner at the same speed. Oscar’s run deep into the corner, and Max can’t just disappear at that point.”
The Red Bull boss also raised broader concerns about the consistency of the rules in Formula 1, especially when it comes to first-lap incidents. “Perhaps these rules need a re-look at,” Horner added. “I don’t know what happened to ‘let them race’ on the first lap. That just seems to have been abandoned.”
The incident has reignited ongoing discussions within the F1 community about race officiating and how penalties are assessed, particularly in tight, wheel-to-wheel battles. While Piastri celebrated a hard-earned win, Verstappen’s post-race demeanor underscored his frustration—both with the stewards’ call and its impact on what could have been another dominant race weekend.
