Christian Horner calls on FIA to learn from Max Verstappen double-yellow furore

Red Bull

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Horner calls on FIA to learn from Verstappen double-yellow furore

Both Verstappen and Horner landed in hot water with the FIA

Ian Parkes

Thursday 25 November 2021 18:08

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner is hoping the FIA will learn just as much as his organisation has done from the events surrounding Qatar qualifying.

Title leader Max Verstappen was eventually handed a five-place grid penalty for not respecting double-waved yellow flags that were shown as a result of Pierre Gasly's stricken AlphaTauri crawling back to the pits following a puncture.

In mitigation, Red Bull argued there was a lack of a display of the yellow light panels, no dash warning lights and no audio signal to Verstappen.

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The FIA stewards at the event, however, noted Verstappen failed to take the appropriate course of action given it is his responsibility to "drive the car alone and unaided".

The fall-out resulted in Horner lamenting the actions of what he described as "a rogue marshal", earning him a warning from the FIA and an order to apologise to the steward concerned.

Reflecting on what unfolded, Horner said: "There were many lessons that can be learned from what happened, and as a race team we learn from every single event.

"No doubt the FIA will embrace that methodology that you can always learn, you can always improve."

Horner mindful of expressing further frustration

With hindsight, Horner was still at a loss to understand what transpired given Carlos Sainz in his Ferrari and Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas were only shown yellow flags while for Verstappen it was double yellow.

Sainz was eventually exonerated, while Bottas was handed a three-place penalty.

Asked for his thoughts on the discrepancy, Horner added: "There was no explanation on that, and that's what my frustration was voiced at."

Mindful of the remarks that landed him in hot water, Horner was careful when asked for an explanation as to why a marshal was showing double-yellow flags when on the electronic system there was a signal showing the track was clear.

"You'd be better pointing your questions at the FIA than me," responded Horner. "They obviously were not very happy when I gave my answer."