Max Verstappen said Sebastian Vettel’s driving was hard but fair when the pair went up against each other during the Chinese Grand Prix.
The Red Bull driver tried to dive up the inside of the Ferrari at turn 14 but ran wide, and was edged aside onto the grass by Vettel who re-took the position.“It was alright,” said Verstappen. “I tried [to pass] under braking because his tyres were a bit cold. Then on the exit he made it quite close but I would have done the same.”
However Verstappen doubts he would have been able to keep Vettel behind even if the move had been successful. “He would have overtaken me again because I was just not quick enough on that hard tyre.”
Verstappen finished the race fourth between the two Ferraris. “We maximised the result today,” he said.
“From Friday to Saturday Mercedes took a step forwards here, I never expected to fight them.
“We were in the fight with Ferrari, just lacking a bit in the middle stint where they pulled away from us.
“The first stint and the last stint was actually alright. It seemed on the hard tyre we were not that happy. But in general I think today also the wind picked up a little bit so I was struggling a little bit more with that, I was a little bit more sensitive to it. But that’s how it goes.”
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Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
14th April 2019, 11:35
Now this IS scary!
If Max is going to start encouraging everyone else to adopt his racing style/attitude then F1 is in for its biggest shake up ever!
Bring it on … please :)
erikje
14th April 2019, 12:44
Trolling does not help in a discussion.
Hahostolze says it all.
The only light point in a quite boring race. Only kimi was spicing it up.
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
14th April 2019, 15:22
Zero trolling from me erikje – maybe it is a North of England humour thing on my part.
The fact that Max is accepting rough play from others as fair play is a good sign I feel.
He likes to race hard and has to expect a bit back.
What I was implying is that if all the other drivers start racing like him then we could be in for some real racing ;)
Robbie (@robbie)
14th April 2019, 15:47
Agreed and this is the goal for 2021 too. More of this kind of stuff. Hard, respectful, close racing.
F1akenews
14th April 2019, 16:20
How was that rough play?
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
14th April 2019, 11:52
Probably the only interesting moment in an absolutely dreadful race. Good that it’s not become controversial, because it wasn’t. It was good racing, the sort you expected to see all race.
Panagiotis Papatheodorou (@panagiotism-papatheodorou)
14th April 2019, 13:52
The only memorable battle in the whole race.
Didi
14th April 2019, 16:14
These overpaid pansies would run and hide in an Indy or FE race if they think that was a ‘battle’!
F1akenews
14th April 2019, 16:19
We had a dive and then a switchback. Basic racing. Not exciting at all. I dont see where an article comes from.
az
14th April 2019, 18:13
I despise these kind of moves. Overtaking is hard as it is, more with these unsportmanship moves. I don’t know if the rule “you have to leave one-car-width space” applies here, I don’t care. It is unfair to push the car trying to pass into the gravel/turf. Would it be different if there were gravel or a wall ? It is the same move, but everybody would think differently about it.
James (@knewman)
14th April 2019, 20:45
Startlingly humble view from Verstappen! I was waiting for some colorful comments over the radio after seeing the dirt fly off his rear wheels.
baasbas
15th April 2019, 18:16
Why would you say that?
https://www.racefans.net/2018/09/17/backmarkers-holding-hamilton-not-fair-verstappen/
https://www.racefans.net/2018/04/05/verstappen-says-no-unfair-ban-mercedes-engine-modes/
https://www.racefans.net/2018/04/26/verstappen-hamilton-china/
“Verstappen: I’d’ve done the same as Hamilton in China”
https://www.racefans.net/2016/11/28/what-they-say-about-hamiltons-tactics/
“I think Lewis was trying to back us up, and I probably would have done the same, you have to try these things to win a championship.”