Masi insinuates that Horner is lying: "No, that's incorrect"

Sergio Perez crossed the finish line in third place in the Italian Grand Prix, but the Mexican driver had to settle for ten World Championship points and fifth place. This was due to the five-second time penalty he received from the stewards for an illegal overtaking of Charles Leclerc.

Perez ended up off-track, but managed to pass the Ferrari Monegasque anyway. Red Bull Racing said through Christian Horner that the FIA was asked if Perez could keep his spot or had to give it back. Horner said there was then no response from the FIA. Michael Masi, Formula One's race director, refutes that.

Masi disagrees with Red Bull

Indeed, according to Masi, no contact was ever made by the Austrian formation. "No, that's incorrect. They didn't ask race control. I suggested to them that they may want to look at giving the position back, and they said they were looking at it themselves." However, the incident ended up with the stewards who determined that a time penalty was appropriate.

Valtteri Bottas and Leclerc took advantage and moved up a place in the final results. Perez remains on two podiums for Red Bull. The 31-year-old driver is currently fifth in the World Championship. Third place is not yet completely out of sight. In the remaining Grands Prix this year he must make up 23 points on Bottas.