Topics: Formula 1, Max Verstappen, Motorsport, Red Bull Racing, Oscar Piastri
Max Verstappen gave an X-rated response after he was informed that he had received a five-second penalty at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Verstappen, 27, started the race in Jeddah on pole and was searching for his second race victory of the 2025 campaign.
The Red Bull driver was given the punishment “for leaving the track and gaining an advantage at the start” according to F1.
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Shortly after being informed of the penalty by his team via his radio, the four-time F1 champion issued an X-rated response, he said: "Well that is f*****g lovely."
Verstappen finished the race in second behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri, who took the lead in the Drivers' Championship.
Shortly after the race, Verstappen gave a brief interview to Sky Sports and said: "See you in Miami," as well as thanking the fans for coming out.
In the build-up to the race, reports emerged suggesting that Verstappen could leave Red Bull for Aston Martin in a deal said to be worth around $300m.
When approached by SPORTbible for comment, Aston Martin issued the following statement:
"It’s normal for the media to speculate on the driver market, but we have a fantastic driver line-up that we are committed to and who are under contract for 2026 and beyond.
"Our focus is on delivering for Lance and Fernando by giving them a more consistent and competitive car. When we do, they are both capable of delivering great results."
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner also gave his thoughts to Sky Sports on Friday, he said: "I think noise is exactly the right word to describe it, there's been a lot of noise outside of the team.
"Inside of the team Max reaffirmed his commitment yesterday, we're focused on making the car go faster, Max is part of that and he's a committed part of team. The rest is all speculation and hearsay."
