Horner Backs Verstappen Despite Admitting Second Penalty Fair

Christian Horner concedes one Verstappen penalty as fair but insists the first was unduly harsh amidst rising scrutiny.

Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, defended his position against one of the penalties imposed on Max Verstappen during the Mexican Grand Prix, although he eventually conceded that the other was justified.

Horner presented telemetry data to the media in his post-race press conference in Mexico to defend Verstappen in the Turn 4 incident, which led to a penalty he still regards as “very harsh.”

“I think there’s been a reaction, as I mentioned last week, between Austin and Mexico,” Horner stated after free practice at the São Paulo Grand Prix.

“For me, the first penalty [at Turn 4] remains very, very harsh. I understand the second one, but the first was difficult to comprehend.”

“You can see from the data afterward that Lando released the brakes and gained extra speed. He braked later than on his fastest lap. He carried significantly more speed, and I genuinely don’t think he would have been able to stay on the track.”

“The issue with these rules… when you’re on the outside, you’re taking more risks. The corner belongs to the inside line. This is going to change the way these guys race.”

When asked whether Red Bull considers certain “dirty” tactical moves worthwhile if they disadvantage their championship rival, Horner responded: “Not at all. We want to race hard and fair, and this incident, among others, will undoubtedly be discussed.”

“Of course, what you also want is consistency. We’ve seen several similar incidents, some penalised, others left unpunished. This is where the race director and the drivers will certainly sit down to discuss it because we all want to see a good fight to the end of the championship.”

“Max wants it, we want it as a team, but the rules of engagement must be clear—and they shouldn’t be overly complicated. It doesn’t need to be like a cricket manual for an overtake. They just need to remain straightforward.”

Horner then dismissed suggestions that Verstappen might actively try to exploit a grey area in the current regulations.

“It’s a racing driver’s instinct. Max will always go for the gap; he’ll always be tough on the inside line of a corner. Max has been racing for 20 years now, and when he’s on the inside line, going for the apex, he’s controlling the corner at that moment. It’s what he’s done throughout his career.”

“Now, I’m not disputing the second penalty [in Mexico], but the first one, to me, is just hard racing.”

“He’s driving on instinct in that moment, drawing from all the experience he’s built over his career; he’s not thinking about a regulation in that braking zone. He’s fighting to hold his position.”