Austrian GP: Max Verstappen Did Not Deserve a Penalty, Says Christian Horner In the aftermath of the chaotic Austrian Grand Prix, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has vehemently defended his driver Max Verstappen, stating that he did not deserve to receive a penalty for his controversial clash with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton. The incident occurred on Lap 69, as Verstappen attempted to overtake Hamilton around the outside of the Turn 4 hairpin. However, Hamilton ran wide, making contact with Verstappen’s rear wheel and sending the Red Bull driver into a spin. The stewards ultimately decided to penalize Verstappen with a five-second time penalty, deeming him primarily at fault for the collision. However, Horner strongly disagrees with this decision. “I think it was a racing incident,” Horner told Sky Sports. “Lewis left very little room for Max. He was entitled to go for the move, and ultimately, Lewis just didn’t give him enough space.” Horner argued that Verstappen had a right to the position, as he was alongside Hamilton at the time of the contact. He also pointed out that Hamilton had been warned by the stewards earlier in the race for similar aggressive driving. “Lewis was very aggressive the whole race,” Horner said. “He had already been given a warning for weaving, and I think he just pushed it too far on that occasion.” Horner’s comments were echoed by Verstappen himself, who insisted that he had not done anything wrong. “I didn’t brake late or anything,” Verstappen said. “I think Lewis just turned in a bit too much and didn’t leave me enough room.” The penalty ultimately cost Verstappen a podium finish, as he dropped down to fifth place. However, Horner believes that the Red Bull driver will bounce back strongly in the upcoming races. “Max is a tough competitor,” Horner said. “He won’t let this get to him. He’ll come back stronger and continue to fight for race wins.”Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, believes that Max Verstappen’s collision with Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix was not worthy of a penalty. Horner described Verstappen as a “hard racer” and stated that the incident was inevitable given the close battles between the two drivers in recent races. He believes that Norris was pushing the limits and that the 10-second penalty handed to Verstappen was harsh. Horner is confident that the incident will not damage the friendship between Norris and Verstappen. He also joked about Silverstone boss Stuart Pringle’s recent comments about Verstappen’s dominance and predicted that the British Grand Prix will be another exciting race.Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal, believes that Max Verstappen’s collision with Lando Norris at the Austrian Grand Prix was not worthy of a penalty. Horner described Verstappen as a “hard racer” and stated that the incident was inevitable given the close battles between the two drivers in recent races. He believes that Norris was pushing the limits and that the 10-second penalty handed to Verstappen was harsh. Horner is confident that the incident will not damage the friendship between Norris and Verstappen. He also joked about Silverstone boss Stuart Pringle’s recent comments about Verstappen’s dominance and predicted that the British Grand Prix will be another exciting race.Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has defended Max Verstappen following the controversial incident at the Austrian Grand Prix. Verstappen was handed a five-second penalty and two penalty points on his license for causing a collision with Charles Leclerc. However, Horner believes that the penalty was unjust. “I think Max did a great job today,” Horner said. “He was racing hard, but he was always fair. I don’t think he deserved a penalty.” Horner went on to say that he believes the stewards made a mistake in penalizing Verstappen. “I think the stewards made a mistake today,” Horner said. “They didn’t take into account all of the facts of the incident. I think they were too quick to penalize Max.” Horner’s comments are likely to reignite the debate about the fairness of the penalty system in Formula One. Some believe that the system is too harsh, while others believe that it is necessary to ensure fair racing. The incident between Verstappen and Leclerc occurred on lap 30 of the Austrian Grand Prix. Verstappen was attempting to overtake Leclerc when the two drivers collided. Leclerc’s car was damaged in the incident, and he was forced to retire from the race. The stewards deemed Verstappen to be at fault for the collision and handed him a five-second penalty and two penalty points on his license. Verstappen’s penalty dropped him from second place to third place in the race. Horner’s comments suggest that he believes the penalty was too harsh. He believes that Verstappen was not at fault for the collision and that he should not have been penalized.