Horner Calls Saudi GP Penalty on Verstappen ‘Harsh’, Praises Pace and Yuki’s Potential

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – April 20, 2025 — Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner believes Max Verstappen was denied a likely victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to what he described as a “very harsh” time penalty handed down after a first-corner battle with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

Speaking to media after the race, Horner was adamant that Verstappen had done nothing wrong in the opening-lap move:

“We didn’t concede the position because we didn’t believe that he’d done anything wrong… at the apex of the corner, Max is clearly ahead. The rules of engagement have been discussed previously, and it was a very hard decision.”

Verstappen, who ultimately finished second, received a five-second penalty that he served during his pit stop. Horner estimated that without it, “it would have been a win.”

“Oscar finished 2.6 seconds ahead. On the same stint, without that penalty, we had them. It’s frustrating — we had McLaren beat today,” Horner said.

He questioned the logic behind the penalty especially comparing it to similar incidents in the Formula 2 feature race that took place just a few hours prior:

“Oscar’s on the corner. Max can’t just disappear… perhaps these rules need a relook. What happened to ‘let them race’ on the first lap?”

Horner also revealed that Red Bull had spoken to the stewards post-race but found little room for appeal.

“They think it was a slam dunk. If we protest it, they’ll likely hold the line. We’ll show them the onboard footage that wasn’t available at the time, but I think it’s highly unlikely [to change].”

Despite the setback, Horner was quick to praise the team’s performance and car improvements since Bahrain:

“Let’s focus on the positives. We qualified on pole, finished second, and had the pace — on both the medium and the hard tyre. It was probably our most competitive race of the year so far.”

He acknowledged McLaren’s pace on Friday, calling it “epic,” but suggested that Red Bull closed the gap by race day.

As for teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who suffered contact and failed to finish in the points, Horner called it a racing incident:

“It was a shame for Yuki. He’d have been in the fight for good points. The incident with Pierre [Gasly] was tight. Both drivers accepted it was a racing incident.”

Looking ahead, Horner said the team is encouraged by the car’s progress and believes they can be competitive in Miami:

“There are still areas to improve, but we’ll take the positives and move on. We’re only 12 points behind Oscar [in the championship], two behind Lando. Things are moving fast this year.”

Finally, on the upcoming discussions regarding 2026 power unit regulations, Horner dismissed suggestions of political maneuvering:

“We didn’t push for it to be on the agenda. The FIA are doing it in the interest of the sport. The last thing anyone wants is excessive lifting and coasting in races.”

With Red Bull showing strong pace and Verstappen firmly in title contention despite setbacks, Horner is choosing to stay focused on the long game: “We’ll take the fight to Miami.”