F1 News Today: FIA release official statement on Verstappen penalty following Horner sta….read more
The FIA has issued an official statement regarding the five-second penalty imposed on Max Verstappen during the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The penalty was assessed after Verstappen went off-track at Turn 1 while defending his lead against McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Race stewards determined that Verstappen gained an unfair advantage by not returning the position after rejoining the track, leading to the time penalty served during his pit stop.
Red Bull Racing’s team principal, Christian Horner, has contested the severity of the penalty. He presented photographic evidence suggesting that Verstappen was already ahead at the corner’s apex and questioned what alternative actions Verstappen could have taken to avoid leaving the track. Horner argued that yielding the position could have introduced additional risks, especially given the high-speed nature of the circuit.
