Max Verstappen had every reason to be frustrated after losing out on a potential win at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but the reigning champion wasn’t prepared to publicly challenge the stewards’ decision, instead, he chose silence, citing concerns over further penalties and the people’s ability to handle the truth.
The Red Bull driver was hit with a five-second penalty for cutting the track at Turn 2 while battling Oscar Piastri at the start of the race. The incident cost him track position after the pit stops and ultimately handed Piastri his third win of the season, vaulting the McLaren driver to the top of the F1 drivers’ standings.
But when pressed post-race, Verstappen refused to be drawn into the growing debate in Jeddah.
“The problem is that I cannot share my opinion about it because I might get penalized also. So it’s better not to speak about it,” Verstappen told the media, including Total-Motorsport.com.
“I think it’s just the world we live in. You can’t share fully your opinion because it’s not appreciated, apparently. Or people can’t handle the full truth.”
Instead of directly attacking the decision – as Helmut Marko and Christian Horner did in the media – Verstappen kept things diplomatic, though his radio response to the penalty (“that is f***ing lovely”) revealed his underlying frustration.
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Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
F1 Stewards clear on Verstappen incident
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko felt aggrieved and called the penalty “harsh”, while he pointed to similar incidents in the F2 support races that only received warnings. However, the stewards were clear in their ruling.
“Car 81 (Piastri) had its front axle at least alongside the mirror of car 1 (Verstappen) on the inside. In fact, car 81 was alongside car 1 at the apex… It was therefore car 81’s corner and he was entitled to be given room,” an FIA statement read.
Verstappen, wary of drawing further criticism or sanctions, declined to comment further on the specifics.
“It’s better if I don’t need to say too much,” Verstappen said. “It also saves my time because we already have to do so much, you know. I know that I cannot swear here. But at the same time, you can also not be critical… That’s why it’s better not to talk about it.”
The Dutchman also took aim at social media, suggesting his comments would be twisted or taken out of context: “Everyone is super sensitive about everything… your words can be twisted, or people interpret it in a different way. So honestly, better not to say too much. Less talking, even better for me!”
Despite the setback, Verstappen finished second and remains third in the standings, just 12 points behind new championship leader Piastri. But with tensions rising and controversy swirling around penalties and stewarding standards, Verstappen’s silence may only add more intrigue to the unfolding narrative of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
