Christian Horner and Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing before Sprint ahead of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit in Lusail, Qatar on November 30, 2024. (Photo via Getty Images)
Christian Horner has attributed Max Verstappen’s penalty in Qatar GP qualifying to George Russell’s actions. Speaking after the race, the Red Bull Racing CEO suggested that the penalty only fueled Verstappen’s determination to outperform the Mercedes driver in the race.
Verstappen initially qualified on pole but received a one-place grid penalty for driving unnecessarily slowly on a cool-down lap. The incident sparked debate, with Fernando Alonso also pointing out that Russell was driving slowly during the same lap. Ultimately, the penalty promoted Russell to the pole position and led to tensions between the two drivers.
Horner implied that Russell and Mercedes capitalized on the incident, pushing for a penalty against Verstappen. He claimed that Russell’s arguments with the stewards were instrumental in securing the decision. Despite Verstappen’s dissatisfaction with the outcome, Horner noted that the four-time world champion used the setback as motivation. Verstappen delivered a commanding performance to claim his ninth victory of the season, while Russell, starting from pole, finished fourth.
