Oscar Piastri couldn’t resist taking a jab at Max Verstappen after the Red Bull star reported Lando Norris for a false start at the Bahrain Grand Prix, leading to a five-second penalty for the McLaren driver.
Verstappen, who started seventh on the grid, alerted his team over the radio just seconds before lights out: “Lando is over his grid box.”
Verstappen noticed the 25-year-old was over his grid box as the cars lined up
Moments later, Norris surged forward with a lightning start from P6 to P3, only for stewards to penalize him for being marginally out of position. Despite the setback, Norris still finished third, while Piastri led a dominant race from pole position, finishing over 12 seconds ahead of George Russell in P2.
In the post-race press zone, Piastri was quick to poke fun at Verstappen’s radio call, saying:
“Maybe Max should consider becoming a race steward—he clearly enjoys monitoring everyone else’s start position more than his own race.”
The remark came after Verstappen endured a frustrating weekend, only managing P6 in the race. Red Bull struggled with car balance and tire performance throughout, with Verstappen admitting:
“For whatever reason, I’ve been struggling with the brakes… and general grip throughout the lap. It’s been hard to understand what the car needs.”
While Norris accepted the penalty without protest, some in the paddock saw Verstappen’s involvement as petty, especially given his own troubles during qualifying and the race.
Piastri’s win, combined with Norris’s podium, marks a strong statement from McLaren, while Red Bull continues to search for answers early in the 2025 season.
