Christian Horner expressed his astonishment and disbelief when it was announced that George Russell would not be penalized for his off-track incident at the commencement of the 2023 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.
In a surprising turn of events, Horner voiced his surprise at the leniency shown towards Russell, suggesting that such a decision could potentially set a precedent for future racing incidents, thus raising concerns about consistency in the application of penalties within the sport.
George Russell, a driver for the Mercedes team, achieved an impressive feat during the Spanish Grand Prix by securing his first podium finish of the season. Despite starting from the 12th position on the grid, Russell made a swift start and employed a clever race strategy. He managed to overtake Sergio Perez from Red Bull before the first corner.
However, Russell experienced a momentary lapse when he veered off the track at Turn 2. To avoid a collision with other cars, he chose to cut the corner. Although the race stewards reviewed this incident, they decided not to penalize Russell. This outcome was crucial because if he had received a penalty, Perez would have claimed the podium spot instead of him, as Perez finished in fourth place.
During an interview with Sky Sports F1, Christian Horner, the Team Principal of Red Bull, was questioned about Sergio Perez’s impressive comeback in the race.
However, Horner took the opportunity to draw attention to an incident involving George Russell. Horner pointed out that Russell was able to avoid a penalty despite going off-track during the early laps of the race. This comment suggests that Horner was surprised and possibly dissatisfied with the stewards’ decision not to penalize Russell for his off-track moment.
Christian Horner concluded by acknowledging the significant impact of George Russell’s non-penalty on the outcome of the race. He stated, “I think that was the difference at the end of the day.”
Horner recognized that Sergio Perez’s race performance was improving steadily, especially during the final stint where he made a strong comeback. However, Horner lamented the lack of enough laps for Perez to fully challenge for a podium finish.
Despite the missed opportunity, Horner’s comments highlighted the determination and progress shown by Perez throughout the race, leaving the door open for future successes in upcoming Grand Prix events.
Follow our dedicated Formula One page for instant Formula One news and updates