Guenther Steiner claims FIA stewards are afraid to penalize Max Verstappen

Four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battled for the final podium spot in the opening laps at the 2025 Mexican GP. The two former championship rivals came into contact, and the battle involved the duo cutting corners. While Hamilton was penalized for his off-track excursion, Verstappen was not, with Guenther Steiner coming out claiming that FIA stewards are afraid to penalize the Dutchman.

Lewis Hamilton he started P3 and Max Verstappen started in P4. However, on the first lap, Verstappen was able to recover a position and began chasing the seven-time F1 champion for P3. A few laps later, the Red Bull driver made an ambitious move at Turn 1 after the long straight at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

As the Dutchman came down inside, he touched wheels with it Ferrari driver, pushing Hamilton off the line. As the duo went side by side at Turn 2, Verstappen was thrown out and cut into the second corner. The battle continued at Turn 4, where the Ferrari driver was on the outside, locked tires and had to cut the corner.

All this time George Russell and Oliver Bearman caught up with the duo. However, when Hamilton cut the corner, he came out ahead of this battle, and the FIA ​​was proud to have left the track and gained the advantage. He was hit with a 10 second penalty for the same.

Former F1 boss Guenther Steiner came out on the latest episode of the Red Flags podcast and suggested that FIA stewards are afraid to give Max Verstappen a penalty. The Dutchman cut the first lap on the first lap and held the position, then cut the corner in a fight with Hamilton, but was not given a penalty.

“I don't think it has to do with leading the charge, because Max, you know, if he thinks he was treated unfairly, he's very vocal, and maybe they're more concerned about that than anything else,” Steiner said (as of 29:00).

“I see it, so Max has created a culture where people are very afraid and hesitant to take a penalty on him,” the host added.

“From the goat in there at the moment, you know? And that comes with the status of the goat. He has a stronger voice. You know, if you're on top, your voice is here a lot more than when you're second to last, you know?” Steiner added

'Should have been a penalty': F1 pundit's verdict on Max Verstappen's off-track excursion on Lap 1

Max Verstappen started P5 but had a great start off the line and went out of four at the first corner with Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris. The Dutchman was on the kerb when he started to brake and as a result was unable to make the corner, he went deep and cut through the first sequence of corners.

F1 pundit Martin Brundle came out after the race and suggested that the Red Bull driver deserved a penalty for the same reason, as he said:

“Max should have had a penalty, because if you put the car on the far left and four abreast, it will go to the kerb. You will see that Max accelerates by accelerating, I must say he is very good at driving on the grass, but Max did not make any effort to take turns 1, 2 or 3. And that should have been a penalty.” (via The F1 Show Podcast)

Max Verstappen goes into the final four races with a 36-point gap on championship leader Lando Norris.