Breaking news
Formula 1
F1 risked abandoning "every principle of racing" in Austria
Formula 1 would have “moved away from every single principle of racing” had Max Verstappen been punished in this year’s Austrian Grand Prix, believes Christian Horner.
Scott Mitchell
Edited: Aug 17, 2019, 8:43 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Verstappen’s Red Bull team boss Horner believes the 21-year-old’s robust pass on Charles Leclerc for victory at the Red Bull Ring has proven to be a key decision by the FIA stewards.
A lengthy post-race investigation ended with no further action and has been followed up an attitude from officials that Horner believes will encourage harder racing – something F1 personnel and fans have called for to combat too many penalties.
Horner told Motorsport.com: “Of course, you never know which way the stewards are going to go but to me it was so clear cut. [For] every driver from karting upwards, it would have moved away from every single principle of racing.
“In a move like that, the door was left open, Max was slightly ahead at the apex and from an onboard [camera perspective] it was up to him to dictate the corner. For me, there should never have been any doubt, but obviously the stewards had to have a good look at it.”
After the race in Austria, Verstappen engaged in a fierce fight with Leclerc at Silverstone, where they went wheel-to-wheel again, and the FIA has subsequently communicated with teams and drivers to try to establish clearer ground rules for racing.
“I think the biggest loser would have been the fans,” said Horner on the consequences of a Verstappen penalty in Austria. “It was a great race, it was exciting and I think it was the right outcome not to meddle and interfere.
“It was exactly what F1 fans want to see, close wheel-to-wheel racing. If it had been the other way round, had it been Leclerc overtaking [Verstappen], then I’d have been annoyed but I’d have felt the same.
“We’ve looked through a bunch of incidents with [race director] Michael Masi to say that 90 percent of them are racing incidents, so let them race. Unless it’s dangerous and we’re penalising for an unintended consequence of an action, just let them race.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF90, leads Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB15
Photo by: Dom Romney / LAT Images
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article F1 needs teams to "collaborate on improving tracks" - Abiteboul
Next article Kvyat podium a "reward" for Toro Rosso helping Honda
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Max Verstappen
F1 driver contracts: How long is each driver tied down for?
Formula 1
Formula 1
F1 driver contracts: How long is each driver tied down for?
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
Max Verstappen on Ferrari clashes: "I would never sign two number-one drivers"
More from
Red Bull Racing
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Formula 1
Formula 1
“I was getting beat up” – How Daniel Ricciardo burned out on ‘humiliating’ F1 return
Latest news
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 4 h
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 4 h
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
6 h
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
8 h
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
Feature
Discover prime content
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Formula 1
By Kevin Turner
Top 10 F1 cars of the 1970s
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe