Verstappen downplays penalties points to Red Bull’s pace struggles in Mexico GP

Mexico City (The Uttam Hindu): Max Verstappen’s penalty-laden Mexico City Grand Prix finish took a backseat to his frustration over Red Bull’s lack of race pace, even as his team boss, Christian Horner, voiced dismay at the stewards’ "excessive" ruling. Starting on the front row alongside Ferrari's Carlos Sainz, Verstappen finished sixth after receiving two 10-second penalties for forcing title rival Lando Norris off track—a result that trimmed his championship lead over Norris to 47 points with four races left. When asked if he would have approached the race differently, Verstappen responded with humour: “Next time I might get a drink while I wait in the pitstop. The engine was off for 20 seconds, so I had enough time," Verstappen was quoted by Formula 1 as saying.

However, he quickly shifted focus to his car’s performance, saying, “The biggest problem today was race pace. That was quite clear on the medium and hard tires.” Verstappen faced two penalties during the race, the first for the Turn Four clash with Norris and the second at Turn Seven. While the champion acknowledged the stewards’ decision, he seemed resigned: “The turn four incident was more of a question mark, while the second...it is what it is.” Despite his penalty-induced setbacks, he climbed back to sixth but found himself unable to challenge the Mercedes cars ahead due to grip issues and difficulty braking. “I just had no grip—sliding a lot and couldn’t brake properly,” Verstappen said. This weekend’s penalties follow a similar dispute in Austin, where Verstappen and Norris also tangled, resulting in Norris receiving a penalty after gaining a position off-track but failing to give it back. Reflecting on the Austin incident, Verstappen noted, “Last week that was alright; this week, a 20-second penalty. It’s what it is. I just keep racing.”

Meanwhile, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was more vocal about the stewards’ decisions, suggesting they overcompensated in response to last week’s controversy in Austin. “I think we’re in danger of flipping the overtaking laws upside down, where drivers will just try to get their nose ahead at the apex and then claim they have to be given room on the exit,” Horner said, calling for clarity on racing rules. He warned that without clearer guidelines, the final races of the season could devolve into a "mess." Despite his disagreement with the stewards, Horner confirmed that Red Bull would not be seeking a review of their decision. However, he emphasised the importance of refining the overtaking rules to prevent further chaos, as the championship reaches its peak.