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Max Verstappen chats with Christian Horner

Verstappen's penalty "not such a handicap" in Russia - Horner

Max Verstappen chats with Christian Horner — Photo: © LAT Images
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Verstappen's penalty "not such a handicap" in Russia - Horner

Verstappen faces a three-place grid penalty in Russia

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is confident Max Verstappen will be able to overcome his Russian Grand Prix grid penalty as "in Sochi it's not such a handicap".

Verstappen was handed a three-place grid penalty for the next race in Russia after the Italian GP stewards deemed the Dutchman to have been "predominantly" at fault for the collision between himself and title-rival Lewis Hamilton.

"We have the grid penalty to take for Max too, but in Sochi it’s not such a handicap because of the strength of the tow down to turn one," said Horner in his Red Bull column.

"I’m looking forward to it and seeing how we get on."

Mercedes has taken victory in each year since the Russian GP was added to the calendar in 2014 with Hamilton topping the podium on four occasions.

Given Mercedes' strength at the venue and Verstappen's penalty, it is possible Red Bull could opt to take a new power unit and the resultant penalties that would send the Dutchman to the back of the grid.

"I was looking through the results at the Russian Grand Prix and back in 2018, Max went from last to first before needing to make his pit stop," added Horner.

"We were second there last year but it’s a circuit we have never won at.

"It has been a Mercedes stronghold. For me, Monza and Sochi, I’ve them marked down mentally as Mercedes circuits so it will be a challenge."

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