P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen might count himself lucky to have finished second in Saudi Arabia, following a fascinating stewards’ report on his penalty.
The FIA stewards have clarified the reason behind Max Verstappen’s five-second time penalty in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Verstappen’s penalty stemmed from him leaving the track to take the inside line at Turn 2 and gaining an advantage over Oscar Piastri. Despite Verstappen’s claim that Piastri forced him off track, the stewards deemed Verstappen at fault for the incident. The penalty cost Verstappen the race victory, as Piastri overtook him when he served the punishment. The stewards explained that Piastri was entitled to the inside line at the first corner, and Verstappen did not give enough room, breaching the Driver’s Standards Guidelines. The FIA considered the lap one nature of the incident as a mitigating factor, resulting in a 5-second penalty instead of the usual 10-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.
