Johnny Herbert Slams Christian Horner Over…read more
Former Formula 1 driver and ex-FIA steward Johnny Herbert has strongly criticized Red Bull team principal Christian Horner for his reaction to the five-second penalty handed to Max Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Herbert, a three-time Grand Prix winner, argued that Horner demonstrated a “zero understanding” of the situation, despite his own background in motorsport, and labeled Horner’s defense of Verstappen as “a load of baloney.”
The controversy stemmed from an incident at Turn 1 in Jeddah, where Verstappen, starting from pole position, was challenged by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. As the two drivers approached the corner, Piastri took the inside line while Verstappen attempted to hold the outside. In doing so, Verstappen ran off the track into the run-off area and rejoined the circuit ahead of Piastri, an action the stewards deemed as gaining an advantage.
The FIA stewards issued Verstappen a five-second penalty, which he served during his only pit stop. Despite the penalty, Verstappen still managed to finish second, 2.8 seconds behind Piastri. However, Horner was clearly frustrated by the stewards’ decision. He argued that Verstappen had been marginally ahead at the corner’s apex, presenting a screenshot from Verstappen’s onboard footage showing his front-left wheel just in front of Piastri’s right-front wheel.
“We didn’t concede the position because we didn’t believe he’d done anything wrong,” Horner explained to media including PlanetF1.com. “At the apex of the corner, Max was clearly ahead. The rules of engagement were discussed before, and we believe it was a very harsh decision.”
However, Herbert didn’t accept that argument. Speaking to Beste Online Casino Nederland, Herbert didn’t hold back in criticizing those defending Verstappen, including Horner. “The people arguing against the penalty have probably never been in a race car, and definitely not in an F1 car, so they have zero understanding,” he said. “I’ll include Christian Horner in this, too.”
Herbert emphasized that it was a straightforward call for the stewards, pointing out Verstappen’s positioning through Turn 1. “It was a definite penalty. When you enter a corner, especially a tight one like that, you’ve got to be on the apex, near the kerb. Verstappen was about two metres out, nowhere near the apex.”
Herbert was also unimpressed by Horner’s attempt to use a single frame of footage to argue Verstappen’s case. “Horner then came up with a picture to show who was in front at Turn 1, which was a load of baloney,” he said. “It looked like he was just shifting blame onto the FIA and the stewards. Red Bull had a clear opportunity to give the place back, but they didn’t take it.”
Despite their frustration, Red Bull has confirmed they will not appeal the decision. While Horner expressed skepticism about the penalty, he admitted that the likelihood of a successful protest was slim. “We spoke to the stewards after the race, and they saw it as a slam dunk,” Horner said. “We’d probably ask them to review onboard footage that wasn’t available during the race, but ultimately, we don’t think it would change anything.”
Horner also questioned the consistency of current rules, especially regarding first-lap incidents. “Perhaps these rules need a rethink. I don’t know what’s happened to the idea of ‘let them race’—it doesn’t seem to apply anymore,” he added.
In the end, the incident has reignited the debate about what constitutes fair racing in tight on-track battles and how much leeway drivers should be given—especially during aggressive opening-lap exchanges.
