Ralf Schumacher Shares What Verstappen Should Have Done After

Ralf Schumacher Shares What Verstappen Should Have Done After Controversial Penalty

Former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports Germany pundit Ralf Schumacher has weighed in on the recent penalty handed to reigning world champion Max Verstappen during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, offering insight into where he believes the Red Bull driver went wrong.

The 2025 Formula 1 season hasn’t started as smoothly for Verstappen as previous years. After the first triple-header of the campaign, the Dutchman finds himself sitting third in the drivers’ standings—an unfamiliar position for the three-time world champion. He opened the stretch with a win in Japan, but only managed a sixth-place finish in Bahrain and secured second in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

However, it was the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix that became the focal point of controversy. During the opening lap, Verstappen found himself locked in a wheel-to-wheel battle with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at Turn 1. In a dramatic moment, Verstappen left the track and rejoined ahead of the Australian driver, maintaining his position despite cutting the corner.

The race stewards deemed that Verstappen had gained an unfair advantage by leaving the track, and subsequently issued him a five-second time penalty. This penalty proved costly as he served it during a pit stop, losing the lead and ultimately finishing second behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

While Red Bull and Verstappen were vocal in their disagreement with the stewards’ ruling, the FIA later released a statement indicating that the punishment could have been harsher. According to the governing body, Verstappen was potentially facing a 10-second penalty, but mitigating circumstances led to a more lenient decision.

Speaking on the German F1 podcast Backstage Boxengasse, Ralf Schumacher offered his analysis of the incident, suggesting that Verstappen could have avoided the penalty altogether if he had handled the situation differently.

“In my view—and of course, this would need to be confirmed by the stewards—cutting the corner wasn’t the main issue,” Schumacher explained. “The problem was that he accelerated and gained a clear advantage, pulling out about two car lengths ahead.”

Schumacher noted that if Verstappen had slowed down slightly or allowed Piastri to remain alongside him, the incident might not have triggered a penalty. “He should have held back a little. If they had gone into the next corner side-by-side, there’s a good chance he wouldn’t have been penalized,” he added.

The former F1 driver acknowledged that Piastri didn’t leave Verstappen much space in the first corner, which could have led to a collision. Still, Schumacher maintained that Verstappen’s choice to press the throttle early and maintain track position contributed to the stewards’ decision.

“Piastri had the better start, and Verstappen, by accelerating too early, essentially took advantage of leaving the track. That’s why the penalty is justified,” Schumacher stated. “If this kind of move goes unpunished, it sets a dangerous precedent. Drivers would start using the run-off as a normal part of racing.”

In conclusion, Schumacher believed the five-second penalty was fair but avoidable. Had Verstappen adjusted his approach and not capitalized on the off-track moment, he might have retained the lead without incurring any penalty.