Red Bull boss Christian Horner slated over Max Verstappen evidence: 'A load of baloney'

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner's photographic evidence of Max Verstappen's first-corner duel with Oscar Piastri in Saudi Arabia has been described as "a load of baloney".

The Turn 1 clash at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit between Verstappen and McLaren driver Piastri has resulted in widely differing views as to whether the five-second time penalty handed to the four-time champion for going off-track and gaining an advantage was justified.

In his post-race media session on Sunday, Horner proffered photographic 'evidence' that showed Verstappen was ahead under braking. The key point for the stewards, however, was that Piastri was ahead at the apex.

Former F1 steward Johnny Herbert has thoroughly dismissed Horner's attempt to distort the situation.

"Horner came up with the picture of evidence to show who was in front in Turn 1, which was a load of baloney," said Herbert, to Beste Online Casino Nederland.

"To me, it was passing the buck to the FIA and the stewards. It's wrong, it shouldn't be like that. Red Bull had a chance to give the place back, but they chose not to.

"Kimi Antonelli did something very similar with Charles Leclerc, same corner, same lap, but he gave the position back.

"If Verstappen had given the position back, he probably would have won the race, but instead, they took a risky strategy of trying to get the five-second penalty by being at the front with a clear track.

"If it were the speedy Red Bull car from two or three years ago, they would have probably gotten away with it, but the McLaren and Piastri were able to keep up."

Herbert is under no illusion that Verstappen was fully deserving of the penalty, fervently believing the letter of the regulations should have been applied with a 10-second penalty.

The stewards in Jeddah mitigated that five seconds was sufficient as it was a turn one, lap one incident.

Adamant it was a penalty anyway, Herbert added: "These are the best drivers in the world, they have the best judgement and the best awareness.

"So if you're making an overtake into Turn 1, but you completely go off track, then it’s a 10-second penalty, but a five-second penalty was applied, and I’m not a fan of this, especially if you take the lead like Verstappen did.

"You can potentially gain that five seconds back quite easily, as has happened before. So, if you can gain the five seconds back by not giving the place back, then what's the point in a penalty?

"It was a definite penalty, because when you go into any corner, especially a tight one like that, you've got to be on the apex near the kerb.

"The apex of the turn was not where Verstappen was, who was two metres out. When you're going around the outside with a driver on the inside, your angle of attack into the next turn diminishes massively.

"It was Piastri's corner, and he could place the car wherever he wanted to. Max overshot the corner by releasing the brakes, to try to beat Oscar into Turn 1 whilst carrying lots of speed."