Max Verstappen has stunned the Formula 1 world by suggesting he might end his 2025 season early, following a controversial penalty handed down by the FIA after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver received a five-second time penalty for going off track during a first-lap battle with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. Verstappen, who started from pole, was challenged aggressively into Turn 1, with Piastri holding the inside line. As the two cars approached the chicane, Verstappen left the track and rejoined ahead of Piastri, maintaining the race lead. The stewards later ruled this maneuver illegal, penalising Verstappen for gaining a lasting advantage.
According to the FIA: “Car 81 [Piastri] had its front axle at least alongside the mirror of car 1 [Verstappen] prior to and at the apex of corner one. Car 81 was therefore entitled to racing room. Car 1 left the track and gained a lasting advantage that was not returned.”
While the standard penalty for such an infraction is ten seconds, the FIA reduced it to five seconds, considering it a Lap 1, Turn 1 incident. The penalty proved costly, as Verstappen finished just 2.6 seconds behind Piastri, who claimed his third win of the season.
Verstappen was visibly frustrated after the race and initially avoided addressing the incident, but later broke his silence with a sharp warning about his future in the sport.
“There’s clearly a lot going on behind the scenes,” Verstappen said. “If this continues, I might just call it a day for the season much earlier than anyone expects. I’m not here to race with one hand tied behind my back. There’s a difference between fair competition and being pushed into a corner. This is starting to feel like the latter.”
The reigning world champion also hinted at what he perceives as bias within the stewarding decisions. “It’s hard to stay motivated when you feel like the rules are being applied differently depending on the driver or the team. I’ve given everything to this sport, but I won’t keep going if the playing field isn’t level.”
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner backed Verstappen’s frustrations, calling the decision “very harsh” and arguing that Verstappen was ahead at the corner’s apex. “We didn’t believe he’d done anything wrong,” Horner said. “That penalty took the win away from us.”
Verstappen’s cryptic comments have sparked speculation across the paddock, with fans and pundits questioning whether the Dutch driver might seriously walk away mid-season. While such a move would be unprecedented, Verstappen has shown before that he’s not afraid to speak his mind—or take bold action.
With tensions rising between Red Bull, the FIA, and Verstappen himself, all eyes will be on the next Grand Prix to see if this situation escalates—or if cooler heads can prevail.
