A five-second time penalty given to Max Verstappen changed the course of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and helped Oscar Piastri to take victory over the Dutchman
Max Verstappen was penalised for his driving in Jeddah(Image: Getty Images)
The Formula 1 stewards have explained the rationale behind their decision to penalise Max Verstappenat the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Dutchman was handed a five-second time penalty after a skirmish with Oscar Piastri at the first corner of the race.
Verstappen was on pole but his McLaren rival got the better start and moved alongside heading into turn one. Piastri had the inside line and didn’t give an inch of room more than he needed to, while the Red Bull racer cut the second corner of the chicane.
Both drivers blamed each other over the radio but the stewards sided with Piastri and handed Verstappen the penalty after deeming his defensive actions illegal. In the official FIA decision document, they explained why that punishment had been given.
The stewards wrote: “We determined that car 81 [Piastri] had its front axle at least alongside the mirror of car 1 [Verstappen] prior to and at the apex of corner one when trying to overtake car 1 on the inside. In fact, car 81 was alongside Car 1 at the apex.
“Based on the Driver’s Standards Guidelines, it was therefore car 81’s corner and he was entitled to be given room. Car 1 then left the track and gained a lasting advantage that was not given back. He stayed in front of car 81 and sought to build on the advantage.
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