The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix ended with a surprise victory for Oscar Piastri , a solid third place for Charles Leclerc , and a huge controversy surrounding Max Verstappen . Not because of his on-track performance, but because of his behavior off it. The Dutch driver, three-time world champion, was heavily criticized by former driver and FIA ​​steward Johnny Herbert , who called him “unprofessional and contemptuous” for his cold attitude during the podium ceremony.

The incident began at the first corner of the Jeddah circuit. Verstappen and Piastri were battling wheel-to-wheel for the lead. The McLaren driver opted for the inside, while Max cut through the chicane at Turns 1 and 2, exiting through the runoff area and rejoining at the front. Did he gain an advantage? According to the  FIA , yes.

The punishment: a five-second penalty , which Verstappen served during his only pit stop. Even so, he finished the race just 2.8 seconds behind Piastri. But beyond the penalty, it was the Dutchman’s attitude that really set off alarm bells.

During the awards ceremony, Verstappen displayed an attitude that Johnny Herbert was quick to point out as worrying. The Dutchman took a sip of the traditional rosewater after the national anthems, but refused to participate in the typical spray celebration alongside Piastri and Leclerc.

“I saw Max drink on the podium, but he didn’t really celebrate with Oscar or Charles,” Herbert said.
“It seems unprofessional and disrespectful, especially coming from a three-time world champion. Sometimes you have to know how to lose gracefully.”

Social media was quick to react. While some fans defended Verstappen’s right to be upset about the penalty, others agreed with Herbert and criticized the apparent lack of sportsmanship.

Verstappen himself avoided commenting directly on the stewards’ decision, although he did offer a statement that left much to be interpreted:

“People can’t handle the whole truth.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner , meanwhile , called the penalty “very severe” and presented the media with an onboard camera capture showing Max’s front left tire just ahead of Piastri’s right as they entered the corner.

But Herbert didn’t buy that narrative:

“That’s nonsense. It was a strategy to shift responsibility onto the FIA. Red Bull had the opportunity to restore the position, but they chose not to.”

Herbert went further, suggesting that Red Bull was trying to gain an advantage with a strategy that would have worked… if we were in 2022.

“If Max had regained the position, he probably would have won the race. But they gambled on staying in front, risking that the penalty wouldn’t affect them.”

“With Red Bull two or three years ago, that might have worked. But today, McLaren and Piastri are on the same level.”

He also criticized the fact that the penalty was only five seconds, something he said should be more uniform:

“I’m not a fan of that rule. It should always be ten seconds. If you start messing with penalties, it opens a Pandora’s box.”

Some suggest the race director may have instructed Red Bull to give Piastri his place. But Herbert sees it differently:

“If the race director does that, he’s directly influencing the result. It should be the decision of the team and the driver.”

With this result, Oscar Piastri takes the lead in the Drivers’ Championship , surpassing Verstappen by 12 points. Leclerc remains close behind, and the fight for the title promises to be more intense than ever.

Meanwhile, Max’s controversy continues to be a topic of discussion. Is this just a momentary frustration? Or are we seeing a new side of the champion who isn’t used to losing?