Christian Horner leaps to Max Verstappen defence as Lando Norris assertion made

Christian Horner believes the first penalty Max Verstappen got in Mexico City was “very harsh”, as Lando Norris attempted to take “extra speed” in.

Verstappen was given two separate 10-second time penalties in Mexico, due to his tactics while racing against his title rival in which he was found to have pushed Norris off track as well as going off track and gaining an advantage.

Christian Horner “struggling to understand” first penalty

Verstappen’s first incident was as he and Norris raced into Turn 4, with the Dutch driver found to have pushed the McLaren off across the grass and resulting in him cutting Turn 5.

The incident was just seven days after Norris and Verstappen had a battle in the United States Grand Prix which went in the Red Bull‘s favour as Verstappen was first to the apex – a key notation in the FIA’s Driving Guidelines for overtaking and defending.

Norris was clearly aiming to simply keep his speed up to get to the apex of Turn 4 first, Christian Horner has said, with the Red Bull boss bringing along telemetry read-outs to his post-race media session to illustrate his point of view.

Ahead of the Brazilian GP getting underway in earnest, Horner appeared on Sky F1 to emphasise that point again.

“I think you got a reaction from Austin into that race,” he said.

“For me, the first [penalty] was still very, very harsh.

“I understand the second one, but I think the first one I still struggle to understand, particularly when we’d seen the data afterward, you can see Lando come off the brakes, and take extra speed.

“He braked later than he did on his fastest lap.”

Put to him that Norris could have just been trying to take a wider line, given that Verstappen was there, Horner said: “I think he was just trying to be ahead.

“He’s carrying a lot more speed, and I really don’t think he would have been able to stay on track at that point.”

“Of course, the other car just can’t get out of the way. The problem we’ve got with the way these rules are going is that always, when you’re on the outside, you’re going to be taking more risk.

“The corner belongs to the inside line. I get that one – fair play, but the one before, I think it’s very, very difficult because it’s going to change the way that these guys go racing.”

With the racing regulations very much in the spotlight as the recent incidents in the United States and Mexico have brought forth their importance, 1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill asked Horner whether Verstappen is attempting to use the regulations to his advantage and is simply winning some and losing some.

“I think it’s more the opposite way around,” he said.

“It’s the inverse way of that, where the car on the outside, it’s almost like going for the offside rule – they’re trying to get ahead, or show that their nose is ahead going to the apex, or come off the brakes, and just carry speed.

“Now, if you’re on the outside, you’re inherently taking more risk, because the inertia of these cars will always carry you to the exit of the corner.

“The inside car, taking that sharper line, it will take that – so this is where it becomes very difficult to allow a car’s width for the car on the outside.

“It’s sort of redefining all the principles of how these kids go racing, from go-karts upwards.”

More on Christian Horner and Red Bull

👉 Inside Red Bull: Christian Horner and the other major players in Red Bull’s hierarchy

👉 Max Verstappen car collection: What supercars does the F1 World Champion own?

Put to him that Verstappen may be willing to take the risks he’s taking given the competitive disadvantage that it’s putting on Norris, even if the Dutch driver picks up a penalty, Horner denied there’s any nefarious thinking in play.

“Not at all, we want to go and racing hard and fair,” he said.

“And I think that incident, amongst others, will no doubt get discussed. What you want as well is consistency.

“We saw several instances similar to that, where some went punished, some went unpunished.

“I think this is where the race director and the drivers, no doubt, will sit down and discuss this because we all want to see a good fight to the end of the championship.

“Max wants it, and we, as a team, want it, but the rules of engagement have got to be clear, and it shouldn’t be overly complicated. It doesn’t need to be like a cricket manual for an overtake.”

Horner pointed out that, in the heat of battle, it’s not like Verstappen is actively thinking about the wording of the regulations as he prepares to position his car.

“It’s the instincts of a race driver. Max will always go for the gap,” he said.

“He’ll always be hard at the apex of a corner. Max has been racing for what, 20 years now, and the inside line going for the apex, he’s controlling the corner at that point.

“That’s what he will have done throughout his career. Now, I don’t dispute the second one, but the first one, for me, that’s just hard racing.

“He’s driving on instinct at that point in time, and from all the experience that you’ve drawn on your earlier career.

“He’s not thinking about a rule book at that point of a braking zone. He’s fighting to try and try and keep his position.”

Read Next: Max Verstappen takes aim at Johnny Herbert after ‘extreme accusations’ made

Click here to read article