Christian Horner responds with amusement to Nico Rosberg’s dramatic suggestion to disqualify Max Verstappen in Spain.
- Verstappen’s penalty point accumulation brings him dangerously close to a race ban.
- A controversial collision with George Russell ignites debate among fans and commentators.
- Despite Rosberg’s fiery critique, Horner and Verstappen brush off the call for disqualification.
- The stewards’ review results in a penalty for Verstappen, intensifying the championship narrative.
Christian Horner seemed more entertained than concerned over Nico Rosberg’s fervent call for Max Verstappen’s disqualification following a contentious Spanish Grand Prix incident. Rosberg, while commentating for Sky F1, didn’t mince words as he labeled Verstappen’s actions during the race as deliberate and deserving of a black flag. He passionately described the maneuver as ‘horrible,’ ‘bad,’ and ‘seriously bad,’ insisting it was a full-on ram against George Russell.
The clash, which saw Verstappen penalized, arose after a restart when harsh tire conditions left him vulnerable to the attacks from Charles Leclerc and George Russell. As the race unfolded, Verstappen’s decision to veer off the escape road instead of conceding his position led to a tense altercation with Russell. Although ordered by Red Bull to allow Russell to pass, Verstappen’s abrupt move at Turn 5 resulted in contact, sparking Rosberg’s critical outburst.
Despite the hue and cry, Horner dismissed Rosberg’s commentary as overly sensationalized, suggesting the former world champion had become quite theatrical in his evaluations. Horner stood firm, explaining to the media that the matter would be discussed internally without giving undue weight to external opinions. Verstappen shared a similar sentiment, acknowledging Rosberg’s right to his opinion but denying any intentional wrongdoing by calling it a ‘misjudgement.’
The official review by the stewards corroborated Rosberg’s view to an extent, noting Verstappen’s evident displeasure with team orders to surrender the position back to Russell. After seemingly complying by decelerating, Verstappen’s sudden acceleration was pinpointed as the cause of the collision, leading to a 10-second penalty and three penalty points added to his Super Licence. This escalation places Verstappen just one point shy of a race suspension, adding an intriguing twist to the championship race.
In the grand scheme, while Rosberg’s comments added a dramatic flair to the proceedings, Horner and Verstappen seemed unfazed by the spectacle, focusing instead on handling the situation within the team. Their collective stance reflected a preference for downplaying external critiques while addressing performance and disciplinary aspects internally.
The incident may have stirred controversy, but Horner and Verstappen’s reactions suggest they’ll move forward with minimal concern for the external drama.
