F1 teams Red Bull and McLaren have differing opinions on the five-second time penalty handed down to Max Verstappen during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The incident saw Oscar Piastri overtake Verstappen at Turn 1, resulting in a warning for the Dutchman.
Verstappen was initially leading after a strong qualifying performance, but he left the track and gained an advantage by not giving room to Piastri. The stewards considered mitigating circumstances due to the location of the incident and imposed a five-second penalty instead of the standard 10-second fine.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes the penalty was “appropriate” and that Verstappen had control over the race once he took the lead. However, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner disagrees, stating that Verstappen had nowhere to go during the battle with Piastri and questioning whether it’s fair to penalize him for trying to defend his position.
The penalty has sparked debate within the F1 community, but both teams are focused on moving forward. Despite losing a potential victory, Red Bull is still in contention for the championship lead, while McLaren is now in first place after Oscar Piastri’s victory.
Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/brown-and-horner-share-contrasting-views-on-verstappens-penalty-in-saudi.4b7ohrLjWwogz8nKeGs7yk