Red Bull Advisor Shocked Over Verstappen Penalty: ‘He Shouldn’t Have Been Penalized There’
In a dramatic turn of events at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing advisor Dr. Helmut Marko expressed shock and disbelief over the five-second penalty imposed on Max Verstappen, insisting that the Dutch driver was unfairly punished. The penalty, which stemmed from a first-corner incident with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, potentially cost Verstappen the race win, as he finished just 2.843 seconds behind the Australian. Marko’s comments came after he reviewed more than 20 replays of the incident, concluding that Verstappen was pushed off the track by Piastri and should not have been penalized.
The race began with Verstappen starting from pole position, closely followed by Piastri in second. As the lights went out, Piastri made a blistering start, pulling alongside Verstappen on the inside line into Turn 1. The two drivers went wheel-to-wheel, with Piastri holding his line while Verstappen ran wide, cutting the Turn 2 chicane to maintain the lead. Piastri immediately called for Verstappen to give the position back, stating over the team radio, “He needs to give that back – I was ahead.” However, Red Bull opted not to instruct Verstappen to yield, and the stewards swiftly issued a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, which Verstappen served during his pit stop.
Marko, speaking to Austrian broadcaster ORF, was adamant that the penalty was overly harsh. “I watched the incident more than 20 times, and it’s clear Max was pushed off the track by Piastri. He shouldn’t have been penalized there,” Marko said. He pointed to similar incidents in the Formula 2 races at Jeddah, where drivers received only warnings for comparable maneuvers. “In Formula 2, two or three drivers did the same thing, and they got warnings. Why was Max treated differently? It’s inconsistent,” he added. Marko also suggested that the stewards’ decision undermined the principle of “let them race,” particularly on the opening lap, where leniency is often expected.
Verstappen himself was visibly frustrated, though he refrained from fully airing his grievances, citing concerns about potential repercussions from the FIA. Over the team radio, he sarcastically remarked, “Well, that is bloody lovely,” upon learning of the penalty. In the post-race press conference, he was guarded, stating, “The problem is I cannot share my opinion because I might get penalized. It’s better not to talk about it. People can’t handle the full truth.” Verstappen’s reluctance to elaborate stems from past experiences, including a fine for swearing at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix and stricter FIA regulations introduced over the winter that penalize drivers for criticizing the governing body.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner echoed Marko’s sentiments, calling the penalty “a very harsh decision.” Armed with telemetry and onboard footage, Horner argued that Verstappen was ahead at the apex of Turn 1 and had no room to maneuver. “You can see from Max’s onboard that he’s clearly ahead at the apex. Piastri ran deep, and Max couldn’t just disappear. Whatever happened to ‘let them race’ on the first lap?” Horner questioned. He also explained Red Bull’s decision not to give the position back, noting that doing so under safety car conditions—triggered by a separate collision between Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly—would have been impractical and risked Verstappen falling into dirty air behind Piastri and third-placed George Russell.
Despite the penalty, Verstappen showed strong pace, pulling out a three-second lead over Piastri before the pit stops. However, after serving the penalty, he dropped behind the McLaren driver, who controlled the race to secure his third win in five races and take the lead in the 2025 Drivers’ Championship. Verstappen’s second-place finish was a marked improvement from his sixth-place result in Bahrain the previous week, but the penalty left Red Bull reeling, with Marko and Horner questioning the consistency of stewarding decisions.
Piastri, meanwhile, defended his actions, asserting that he had the right to the corner. “I was far enough alongside, and I braked as late as I could while staying on the track. The stewards made the right call,” he said. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella agreed, stating, “Oscar was slightly ahead, kept within track limits, and gained the rights to the corner. It’s a clear case.” Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle also supported the penalty, noting, “Piastri had the corner. Max didn’t really try to make it and should have tucked back in. The team should have given the place back immediately.”
The incident has sparked a broader debate about first-lap leniency and the application of F1’s driving standards guidelines. While the stewards noted that the penalty was reduced from the usual 10 seconds to five due to the incident occurring on the opening lap, Red Bull’s frustration highlights ongoing tensions over how aggressively drivers can race at the start. Verstappen, now third in the championship, 12 points behind Piastri, dismissed the idea of appealing the penalty, saying, “It’s not in my interests. I just want to go home.”
As Formula 1 heads to the Miami Grand Prix for a Sprint weekend on May 2-4, the Jeddah controversy is likely to fuel discussions about racing rules and stewarding consistency. For Verstappen and Red Bull, the focus will be on closing the gap to McLaren, whose drivers, Piastri and Lando Norris, have emerged as formidable challengers in 2025. Marko’s concerns about Verstappen’s future with the team, raised after a lackluster Bahrain performance, add further intrigue, with the advisor emphasizing the need for a car capable of fighting for the title to keep the four-time champion committed.
