Max Verstappen penalty would be have been incomprehensible - Christian Horner

Max Verstappen

Verstappen penalty would be have been incomprehensible - Horner

The Dutchman wasn't penalised by the stewards.

Martin Macdonald

Tuesday 2 July 2019 12:15

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner reckons a penalty for Max Verstappen’s overtake on Charles Leclerc during the Austrian Grand Prix would have been “incomprehensible”.

Near the closing laps of the race, Verstappen pulled off a manoeuvre which allowed him to get beyond the race leader, Leclerc, with the Ferrari driver ultimately being sent off the track for a moment.

The Dutchman went on to win his first race of the season, but was forced to wait for it to be made official as the stewards began investigating the move on Leclerc.

Article continues under video

After several hours, the decision was made to not punish Verstappen, and Horner is adamant it was the right call.

“It is incomprehensible to think that they would have changed the podium after a race like that,” the Red Bull boss said.

“That was just the tonic that F1 needed for a fantastic race. And then, of course, it goes to the stewards and then at that point you don’t know.

“But I think Tom Kristensen and the stewards who are up there have made absolutely the right choice.

“One day it will go against us, but it was fair racing, it was hard racing and it is what F1 should be.”

Looking at the move itself, Horner thinks the impetus was with Leclerc to concede the corner where he was overtaken, rather than Verstappen backing off.

“If you look, he was ahead at the apex, and then at that point he has won the corner,” he added.

“It is for the other guy to back out of it and try the undercut, otherwise at that point, it is slam dunk and checkmate he has got the corner.

“That is the way the stewards saw it.”