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FIA Explains Max Verstappen’s Penalty Amid Controversy at Saudi Arabian GP

Max Verstappen, the reigning Formula 1 world champion, found himself at the center of a contentious penalty decision during last weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The incident, which occurred on the very first lap of the race, drew widespread criticism and sparked debate across the paddock. Many felt the penalty handed to Verstappen was too lenient, especially when compared to the harsher punishment given to another driver for a similar infraction later in the race.

Verstappen started the main race in Jeddah from pole position but immediately found himself under scrutiny after a fierce battle with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at Turn 1. During the tussle, Verstappen left the track but maintained his position ahead of Piastri, which led race stewards to determine that he had gained an advantage. As a result, the Dutchman was slapped with a five-second time penalty.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner quickly jumped to his driver’s defense, even going so far as to present printed photographs to the stewards in an attempt to argue Verstappen’s case. Despite these efforts, the FIA stood firm and later released a detailed statement explaining their decision — and revealing that Verstappen had actually been at risk of receiving an even harsher penalty.

Interestingly, former Red Bull junior driver Liam Lawson, now racing with Racing Bulls, was penalized more severely for a similar breach during the same event. Lawson had a run-in with Alpine’s Jack Doohan, during which he left the track and overtook by gaining an advantage that he never relinquished. The stewards issued Lawson a 10-second penalty, which dropped him from P11 to P12 in the final standings.

This discrepancy led many to question why Verstappen received only five seconds, while Lawson was handed double that. In their official clarification, the FIA stated: “Ordinarily, the baseline penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage is 10 seconds.” This raised further questions about why Verstappen’s punishment deviated from that norm.

According to the FIA, the key difference between the two situations came down to context and timing. Verstappen’s infraction occurred on the first lap, when the field was tightly packed and chaotic, and stewards took into account that the move might not have been entirely intentional or avoidable. Moreover, Red Bull did not wait for further investigation and opted to serve the five-second penalty during Verstappen’s pit stop on lap 15, perhaps in an effort to limit any escalation.

Nonetheless, the FIA admitted that Verstappen was at risk of receiving the full 10-second penalty, but based on the specific circumstances and available data, stewards exercised discretion. The decision remains controversial, with many in the F1 community feeling it sets a confusing precedent. As the debate continues, the FIA’s transparency on the matter has at least provided insight into how such decisions are made — even if not everyone agrees with the outcome.