Christian Horner fears that F1 is overcomplicating the rules of engagement after Max Vertsappen picked up 20 seconds worth of penalties in Mexico. After being on the right side of the stewards in Austin, Verstappen was punished severely in Mexico after a tangle with title rival Lando Norris. Christian Horner proposes overtaking rethink after Max Verstappen penaltyAdditional reporting by Elizabeth BlackstockVerstappen picked up two 10-second penalties in the early stages of the Mexican race, one for pushing Norris wide and then one for overtaking Norris off track and not giving the place back.

The punishment ruled Verstappen out of win contention and unsurprisingly, Red Bull boss Horner was on the defensive after the race. “I just fear that we’re perhaps overcomplicating,” he told media including PlanetF1. com in Mexico.

“And all I would do is encourage that there’s a constructive discussion between the drivers and and the driver steward to say ‘okay, we’re going to have another four hotly contested races, what is and what isn’t acceptable. ”Horner also went into detail about why the incident in Mexico was different from Austin and explained that in the US, both cars went off track. “It’s slightly different because obviously both of them went off the track last week, and you can’t gain an advantage by passing off track,” he said.

“I think this is different because Max actually hasn’t gone off the track, he stayed within the perimeter. More from PlanetF1. comF1 2024: Head-to-head race statistics between team-matesF1 2024: Head-to-head qualifying record between team-mates“So I think it’s something that really does need to get tidied up moving forward because there’s great racing going on and I think it’s just important that the rules of engagement are fair rather than giving an advantage to the outside line.

“In the history of motorsport, being on the outside has always been the more risky place to be, but now it’s almost the advantage, because all you’ve got to do is have your nose ahead at the point that they turn, irrelevant of whether you’re going to make the corner or not. ”When asked how this would eventually play out, one journalist questioned whether it would take a driver death for it to be sorted but Horner said it would not go that far. He added: “It just changes a principle that used to be the advantage which was to have the inside line.

[Now] the advantage will be to have the outside line and just brake later and claim foul. “So I think we just have to be very careful because the laws of physics would not have enabled Lando with a weight of the car, he wouldn’t have made the corner. ”Read next: Max Verstappen’s defiant FIA message with ‘new record’ for penalties quip