Dutch commentator Olav Mol has questioned whether Red Bull will have the courage to appeal the multiple penalties handed to Max Verstappen during the Mexican Grand Prix.
In Austin just a week ago, it was Lando Norris who was penalized 5 seconds for overtaking Verstappen off-track, sparking uproar and even a promise from the FIA to revise the driving guidelines for 2025.
However, this past Sunday in Mexico, Verstappen found himself at the receiving end of two 10-second penalties for his wheel-to-wheel battles with Norris—along with two penalty points added to his super license.
Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko called the stewards' decision an "overreaction" following the controversy from the US GP, while team boss Christian Horner brought telemetry data to his post-race media session to support their qualms.
"Lando was 15kph faster and braked later during his attack than he did on his fastest lap," Horner explained. "You can also see from the onboard that he would never have made the corner."
After McLaren invoked a 'right of review' in Mexico to contest Norris' 5-second penalty from Austin, Mol is urging Red Bull to do the same for Verstappen's penalties.
"For the same kind of incident, George Russell got a five-second penalty in Austin, but in Mexico, Verstappen gets ten seconds. The verdict says ten seconds is the standard penalty," Mol remarked during his coverage for Ziggo Sport.
He continued, stating, "Red Bull has a claim to have the entire race declared null and void because this is clearly not the standard penalty. Then Norris gets five seconds in the United States, and Verstappen gets ten seconds in Mexico."
Mol, expressing frustration with the sport's governing body, added, "To the FIA, I say — 'f*ck you!'"
The Dutch commentator also suggested that the stewards, which included former F1 driver Johnny Herbert, may have been influenced by the aftermath of the Austin overtaking controversy.
"I'm not saying the penalties were unjustified, but the amount of the penalty is twice as much," Mol emphasized. "I think Red Bull has a case here if they have the balls."
