Max Verstappen dismissed criticism of his driving following his double penalty in the Mexican Grand Prix and denied F1’s racing rules need to be tightened up.
The stewards handed the Red Bull driver two 10-second time penalties for a pair of incidents with his closest championship rival Lando Norris on the same lap of last weekend’s race.Among the critics of Verstappen’s driving was 1996 world champion Damon Hill, who said Verstappen “made no attempt to back off and make the corner and leave room for Lando,” when the pair went off the track at turn seven last weekend. “You shouldn’t be allowed to use your car as a weapon and simply block the track,” added Hill.
Verstappen brushed off Hill’s comments when they were put to him during today’s FIA press conference. “I don’t listen to those individuals,” he said. “I just do my thing. I’m a three-time world champion. I think I know what I’m doing.”
He said he is only interested in the views of “people that are objective and close to me.”
“Some people are just being very annoying and I know who these people are,” he added. “I don’t really pay a lot of attention to them anyway.
“I’ve got to this stage in my career with the right people supporting me and making my own decisions so I think I know what I’m doing.”
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“Some people are just a bit biased,” he added.
Asked whether he would alter his approach to racing given the penalties he collected in Mexico, Verstappen said: “I’ve heard that before in my career, so it’s my tenth year in Formula 1, I think I know what I’m doing.”
Several drivers have urged the FIA to revise its racing rules to curb Verstappen’s tactic of intentionally running off-track in a corner to prevent a rival overtaking him. But Verstappen said there is no need to add more rules.
“It’s never going to be perfect because even if you remove rules, then you get into a battle, then you want more rules because it’s not clear what is allowed or not,” he said. “Then when you have too many rules, you want fewer rules. It just keeps on going left and right all the time.
“Do I think it’s over-regulated? Probably yes. I mean, in general, the rule book is only getting bigger and bigger every single year. I don’t think that’s always the right way forward.”
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2024 Mexican Grand Prix
- McLaren have no regrets over pitting Norris shortly before red flag came out
- Leclerc fined, avoids same penalty as Verstappen after apologising for swearing
- Leclerc not in the clear over swearing as Verstappen claims he went unpunished
- Majority of drivers wanted racing rules to change “straight away” – Russell
- Verstappen was “over the limit” with Norris but others would do same – Leclerc
Jere (@jerejj)
31st October 2024, 20:22
I see his point, but the criticism itself is still also valid, given the long-time repetitiveness.
Tristan
31st October 2024, 20:31
To someone that does no wrong continued criticism will never change their perspective. As he says he will always have people in his corner. It’s a bit of the emperor’s new clothes really. He has no reason to consider that it’s the ones surrounding him have the bias.
drmouse (@drmouse)
1st November 2024, 7:40
Agreed. And even people using those tactics back against him would be unlikely to work, because he’d just consider their use of them different to his.
The only people who can do anything about it are the stewards and rule writers, but even then he won’t consider it wrong. He’ll consider there rules wrong, but will probably follow them to avoid penalties.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
1st November 2024, 8:32
Max either needs to have no opinion or just admit hes wrong. Its beginning to look like someone denying the fact that they have a drinking problem. Either admit to it, or move on. The stewards should have banned Max for almost killing Lewis at Monza, but they did what they usually did was nothing. Crashing in to other people and running them off the track is for people with serious compulsion/abuse issues.
Nm
1st November 2024, 9:53
But nearly killing max in silverstone and celebrating if after was fine right? Thats the bias he is talking about.
Johnny
1st November 2024, 10:56
One was a sporting move hard racing, the other was a murder attempt. Max does that a lot. Max “You Shall Not Pass” Verstappen can and will never do wrong. According to Max and his handlers.
According to your logic in the 21 season, since it was Max on at least five occasions that should have been penalized or black flagged, hell even banned for a race. That’s all justifiable, because of Silverstone?
MacLeod (@macleod)
1st November 2024, 13:55
Sorry to ruine your vision but Max didn’t try to kill Lewis that was the sausage curb…..
SteveP
1st November 2024, 12:21
Two elements to address here.
The contact at Copse was due to two things:
1. Hamilton not backing off like he had in all previous confrontations in 2021
2. Max misjudging things and doing an aggressive chop right a bit too early – thus a self-inflicted injury.
Secondly, unlike Max after parking his car on top of Lewis, Lewis actually asked whether Max was OK.
By the time that Lewis was celebrating the win, Max had been declared fit and well not only by FIA medical staff, but also by staff at UHCW where he had been sent for precautionary checks and scans.
Despite knowing all this, Horner and Marko were playing the medical card big time and making accusations of attempted murder.
Doh
1st November 2024, 14:40
Drivers make contact all the time, doesn’t mean they can’t celebrate a result. You sound more like Horners pet stooge
Nick T.
1st November 2024, 11:29
I agree that F1 is over regulated, but not for the reason Max does. If anything, the over regulation has helped Max and he has gotten away with what I consider unfair racing by brilliantly exploiting badly written rules (Mexico was not one of those examples). There are too many penalties being issued for good, but fair racing especially when it involves light contact. But then we have badly written rules that don’t require leaving any room being exploited. I don’t think anyone can argue with rules that require a driver to leave enough space for a competitor to keep at least 2 or 4 wheels within the white lines.
Nick T.
1st November 2024, 11:32
I agree that F1 is over regulated, but not for the reason Max does. If anything, the over regulation has helped Max and he has gotten away with what I consider unfair racing by brilliantly exploiting badly written rules (Mexico was not one of those examples). There are too many penalties being issued for good, but fair racing especially when it involves light contact.
But then we have badly written rules that don’t require leaving any room being exploited. I don’t think anyone can argue with rules that require a driver to leave enough space for a competitor to keep at least 2 or 4 wheels within the white lines.
Sonny Crockett (@sonnycrockett)
31st October 2024, 21:03
[Translated] “Cheater gonna cheat….”
matt90
31st October 2024, 21:05
Genuinely amazing that he doesn’t see the contradiction in that.
David BR (@david-br)
31st October 2024, 21:16
‘My small bubble tells me everything I need to know about me.’
It’s a classic for sure, the only people Verstappen can rely on to be objective are the Verstappen entourage giving him constant positive feedback.
Doh
1st November 2024, 14:41
This is why you storm of the podium after getting a penalty for brake checking someone lol.
Carsten Nielsen (@carstenb)
31st October 2024, 21:30
+1
My guys say it’s OK how I drive, I only listen to them; all the others are out to get me.
Tristan
31st October 2024, 22:52
It may not be contradictory, likely means people that are objective, and people that are close to me. It’s not the best use of English but Verstappen isn’t English and it would make more sense.
In other words he’s saying, he feels his critics at the moment are neither objective, nor at all close to him, so why should he listen to them?
MichaelN
31st October 2024, 23:07
Because some of them have the authority to give him penalties.
Verstappen seems to think this is a debate. It’s not.
He can either listen, change his ways – or get more penalties.
sam
1st November 2024, 0:36
This is the best take on the matter. Me telling my wife he is a bully is having less and less effect. Its up to the Stewards now.
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 7:09
But that’s the thing, it IS a debate. It has been made a debate. And that’s the good thing that came out of all this. The rules do most certainly need a good review.
David BR (@david-br)
31st October 2024, 23:14
Even taking in language issues, I don’t think he means and/or. He could be qualifying people ‘close to him,’ meaning he’s only interested in those who are close to him and objective, which would at least recognize that not everyone close to him is objective. But it does still raise the question of how he knows these other people are objective (I presume he actually means ‘they know a lot about racing’).
SteveP
1st November 2024, 10:08
Well, Jos is close to him, he knows a lot about racing.
However, I’m not sure if there are many (any?) people on the planet who would say that Jos came into the fair-minded, reasonable, and objective portion of the planetary population.
Gerrit
31st October 2024, 21:12
Maybe for racing Verstappen each car could be fitted with nerf bars such as seen on sprint cars and go carts. Would allow for side by side racing without wheel entanglements. Problem going forward for Verstappen will be people not getting out of his way and him not finishing a race.
Out of interest are nerf bars prohibited by the regulations? Would protect the delicate floor and side pods.
Vertappen seems to be making an excuse (nobody loves me) to retire from F1. Maybe his actual racing in real terms is over and he will enjoy sim racing better?
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:36
Nerf bars are against the regulations due to being insufficiently fireproof.
David BR (@david-br)
31st October 2024, 21:17
Verstappen is a 3 times champion because he was given 2021 by the F1 race director and then had nobody beyond Pérez (signed specifically not to challenge him) to race in 2022 and 2023.
Objectively speaking.
Ray West (@raynaud2211)
31st October 2024, 21:44
I hope you’re not serious about your comment. Because given is a huge shortcoming in all the work done to get into a winning position in the first place. And to continue with your
Ray West (@raynaud2211)
31st October 2024, 21:45
continue with your thoughts, Hamilton has a hard time against Russell. So he also had no real challenge when he won his championships. And when he did, he lost against Rosberg…
David BR (@david-br)
31st October 2024, 23:24
@raynaud2211 ? Of course Hamilton was challenged in 2008 by the Ferraris, he won by one point! Then at Mercedes, you can’t have it both ways. He won 2 championship versus Rosberg and lost one. So we can agree he had a competitive team mate in those two seasons he won? Bottas less so and the challenges from Ferrari fizzled out, in part, arguably, because Hamilton pushed Vettel hard. But still, Verstappen has only really had Ricciardo as a competitive team mate at Red Bull.
I’m being serious about the ‘objectivity’ because it was the term Verstappen decided to use in conjunction with claiming himself as a 3-time champion. It’s harsh but, arguably, an objective evaluation of what those championships involved. I think he’s totally capable of winning a championship without overprotection of his racing. I’m just not sure that he’s learnt that yet. He hasn’t had to.
CP
1st November 2024, 9:42
I mean a rookie Hamilton made Alonso look average….yet I’m sure George Russell beating a nearly 40 year old Hamilton in a questionable Merc given he stated he is leaving at start of season discounts his achievements and makes his teammates – Button (WC), Alonso (2x WC, some considered top 5 all time), Rosberg (1W,) the same level as Perez…hahahahahahaha
David BR (@david-br)
31st October 2024, 22:28
More or less serious, yes. Because I think he was tested in 2021 and only won that first title due to a bizarre (and mistaken, as FIA recognized) intervention by the race director in the final minutes of the season. Then the next two titles were walkovers, enabled by Red Bull signing a second driver nowhere near his level. This season, from Monza on, he has been tested again. He was initially impressive but as the season has progressed, the points gap narrowed (though not by much) and the Red Bull has looked slower, the same issues to do with his racing have re-emerged. Is that denying his talent or hard work? Not in the least. But objectively, I think the jury is still out as to whether he can win a championship unassisted by FIA’s RD and stewarding decisions protecting him.
David BR (@david-br)
31st October 2024, 22:33
(aside from when he’s racing for the title against Pérez, obviously)
An Sionnach
1st November 2024, 4:54
I don’t think it’s objective to say that Max was initially impressive. He had been impressive throughout the season. One move in Mexico was completely out of order, otherwise they were all close. His defence in Austin was incredible driving all the way up to the controversial move, and even this was and still is a legal one.
It’s not objective to wonder if he could win a championship without some sort of skulduggery. He’s objectively the best driver in the field, and not just by a small margin. He often makes the others look like amateurs.
Tristan
1st November 2024, 5:53
Completely agree, it’s kind of crazy how quick people are to forget how fast he is and consistently beat others, even without the fastest car. It’s weird the media are so against him with some of the accusations that have been made. Not as if the drivers have been saying anything, if anything they say it’s the best to drive against him because he does push the racing to the limit. Even if he did go over last 2 times.
It’s totally understandable if he thinks the media is completely against him, I’m surprised fans are falling for it and even suggesting he’s not a drivers champion on merit. Both Hamilton and Verstappen were as bad as each other for most of 2021, and the media ate it up. Let them race, it’s brilliant they all said. Now, it’s different, Norris isn’t playing the game and is backing out when Hamilton and Verstappen would have touched.
That doesn’t mean Verstappen should be treated as a villain all of a sudden.
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 7:42
I find it rather enlightening if people are this openly biased like David BR and it is his good right to be a fan of a driver. Somehow after being lulled to sleep during 8 processional years of Mercedes dominance some were caught out not realising that streak had to end someday. Somehow this still is beyond their comprehension and Verstappen is to blame, because he shows serious skills and talent that challenges not just their man on track, but also F1s history and the whole goat discussion. This results in maximum defence and the, predominantly British, F1press is only too happy to help out.
Whether you are a Max fan or not, the reality is he is an exceptional driver. Is he aggressive? Of course he is. All the champions are. Lewis included, who has had his fair share of shunts as well. Just ask Albon to name one. Even Lauda at one point said about Lewis ‘this driving has to stop or people will get accidents’. But when other people refer to this antics of Lewis, there is suddenly partial memory loss.
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 11:15
You’re forgetting he collided with Norris in Austria and came out lucky, then divebombed Hamilton at Hungary and lost points. COTA was an excessive defence in my view (and that of virtually all the drivers and other teams on the grid – which is where the demands for rule clarification and change came from, still ongoing). Then Mexico, two penalties, both correct, one underpenalized. That’s still impressive? In speed and determination tto compete yes. In terms of racing decisions? I don’t think so. I agree he’s taken the fight to Norris and his other rivals, and when the other cars started catching the Red Bull (as driven by Verstappen) around Monza, he was still the best driver out there for several races. But since Austria, these racing incidents have crept in more frequently. If McLaren or Ferrari – or both – had started the season level with Red Bull, it would be looking a lot different. A real test of whether Verstappen’s aggressive approach to racing can win titles. Depends on whether you think 2021 really answered that question or not (officially, yes).
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 11:29
Mayrton, at least I’m open about what I think and argue my case. I have no issue with being challenged but find the constant dismissals of being a ‘fan’ kind of pathetic from all concerned.
I’m actually a fan of Verstappen too. I support Hamilton 100% (well, near enough) because I started commenting here in response to the racist abuse directed towards him in 2007, which was extreme (maybe you weren’t around). My ‘issue’ with Verstappen is far less personal than most comments I see here, including from some of his self-declared fans. It’s almost a ‘technical’ question of whether hard racing wins championships. I only really object to Verstappen’s hypocrisy when he suffers the same kind of hard racing from rivals, but then I’d expect (and observe) the same hypocrisy from virtually every other driver. And maybe self-criticism isn’t always the best route to win stuff. Sometimes it comes across as entitlement on Verstappen’s part, which never sounds good, but really I don’t invest in ‘disliking’ people I don’t actually know. My position is a fairly standard ‘the same rules should apply to everyone’. I think Verstappen deliberately tests their limits and at various times the FIA race director and stewards have been found wanting, sometimes with marginal calls, sometimes with blatant errors and inconsistencies.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
1st November 2024, 0:55
2021 is a very very deserved championship for verstappen against a slightly superior car, we can rectify abu dhabi, if you want, hamilton gets a 14 points swing towards him, and then we take away the exploding tyre in baku verstappen had, or bottas playing bowling in hungary and so on, and verstappen still wins, as he should.
He was voted best driver in 2021 on this very website, which has A LOT of hamilton fans, or did at the time.
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 1:18
@esploratore1 I’m not talking about deserving the title or not; I’m saying that ‘objectively’ he won because of Masi’s incorrect intervention in the final race, and, arguably, was in a position to win in the final race in large part because of stewarding leniency in the final races. I think both Verstappen and Hamilton ‘deserved’ the title, they were the outstanding performers, Verstappen better at the season start, Hamilton better at the season end (on balance, Hamilton edged it precisely because he performed at his highest level when it mattered, which is why Masi handing the title to Verstappen was so egregious.. Just my opinion).
An Sionnach
1st November 2024, 4:46
But the rule was that the race director’s decision is final. I thought that given the pressures what he did was a fair solution. Mercedes talked about precedent, but just because something happened that way before doesn’t mean it must be that way again, particularly because what Masi did was within the rules. The rules have now been changed and Masi was thrown under the bus so if it happens like this in future it will be incorrect.
drmouse (@drmouse)
1st November 2024, 7:47
That’s bull. Even the FIA admitted it was the wrong call, but there’s no way to change it when an official screws up. Masi himself had said that he had no choice but to follow the SC rules, which he then broke in AD2021. You’re just kidding yourself if you think differently.
SteveP
1st November 2024, 10:18
No, that was what Masi said to defend himself. It wasn’t true then, and it isn’t true now.
Masi knew the rules regarding restart after a Safety Car, and he threw them away and did his own thing.
Now he’s an ex-Race Director because of what he did.
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 11:41
Masi was correctly kicked out of his job for succumbing to the pressure. Why did he? Because his approach to the job was all wrong, allowing himself to be accessed and pressed by both Red Bull and Mercedes. And we don’t know who else, but can maybe guess. 2021 was a brilliant year for Formula 1 but the publicity/marketing/revenue dimension of all the on-track excitement clearly led Masi and the stewards to favour spectacle over application of F1’s regulations, which ultimately had a decisive effect on the championship.
MacLeod (@macleod)
1st November 2024, 14:03
@drmouse The FIA (or the President) told Massi NO safetycar finish like SPA and we knew that as that was communicated to everyone.
So with this is our mind DID Massi what the FIA (or the president) wanted? Yes He used his powers to cut short the overtaking of lapped cars and the last lap was under race conditions. You can say much but Massi did his job to the letter….
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 10:05
That final race was just one race in a very long season. A rigged season to get Lewis on par with Max going into that last race. That should have never happened in the first place and therewith I find its proceedings rather irrelevant for the championship. Max should have wrapped up the championship shortly after the summer break.
The FIA & Liberty decided otherwise however. There was 1. the looking away by the Stewards at Silverstone, 2. the in-season tire compound change hugely benefitting the Mercedes rear-end, basically bringing them back in contention because without it the season would have been over. 3. They cut the pit stop advantage RedBull enjoyed (on merit). 4. Mercedes was caught with flexwings. 5. Bottas started looking into a bowing career. 6. Mercedes misused the essence of the engine restriction regulation by just keep mounting new rockets enabling cars to start at the back and cruise to the podium. The few mistakes of Max that weren’t penalised (like Brasil) stand in stark contrast to all this competition distortion by Mercedes & Liberty.
That was the result of the 6 elements I enlisted above. Without that, he would have never been competitive during that season.
2021, just like 1989 were seasons heavily rigged by FIA & the commercial rights owner. They are the black pages in F1s history and a reminder of how political this supposedly ‘sport’ is.
SteveP
1st November 2024, 10:27
You missed the RBR wings flexing to the point they vibrated like a bee’s wing that kept cracking and needed taping or replacement (on “safety” grounds in parc fermé)
You missed the RBR under-inflated tyres (that even caused a blowout that gave Max a DNF – and the LH cocked up the restart…)
You missed the dive-bomb and crash tactics that Max still uses when he feels the need.
Oh, and do watch the Silverstone video and then tell me you did not see Max do his signature chop move right that actually caused the contact.
He cocked up. One second later on a move right and there is no contact, drive a little further left for a second and there is no contact.
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 10:39
You know that is crap. Hamilton and Leclerc went together through exactly that same corner later on in the race. It clearly shows Leclerc being even more to the inside of the corner than Max was at any stage (Max allowed extra space for Lewis, something Leclerc didn’t) and Lewis being on the kerb this time, where he should have been when battling with Max. Lewis took Max out deliberately, as a result of the Sprint the day before in which he saw Max cruising off in the distance. Lewis knew exactly what he had to do. He knew it was his last chance or he would never be able again to fight Max during the remainder of the race, simply because Max would have been miles ahead. A more clear situation of a black flag seldom occurs in racing, yet 10s were deemed sufficient.
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 11:50
Silverstone still looks like a racing incident (50/50) with both contributing to the outcome. I think Verstappen was favoured slightly there. The rest is a random assortment of issues that don’t really get anywhere (they can be countered by a dozen of the same in the Mercedes/Hamilton direction: how the Mercedes had been nerfed at various times, Pérez’s active role compared to an uninterested Bottas, the fact the Red Bull was better all round). Ultimately, the cars and drivers were effectively closely matched on track and, by most people’s reckoning, both of them were racing at a higher level than anyone else.
MichaelN
1st November 2024, 14:59
The 2021 season had many weird tales, and I remain amazed by how many Mercedes shenanigans people have been able to conveniently “forget”. The pitstop time silliness remains one of the most brazen in recent F1 history. It’s amazing the FIA went along with that.
And I totally agree on Silverstone. Hamilton’s own passes on anyone else there in that same race, and races in earlier and later years, speak for themselves.
SteveP
1st November 2024, 16:52
No need to lower the tone. You cite a circumstance with totally different behaviour by the challenger, at no point did Leclerc attempt to make a sharp “chop” move across the front of Hamilton. As a result, there was no contact and no accident.
I gave a scenario where MV could have done the chop move and had no problem. He misjudged it and took a glancing contact from the move. A clear self-inflicted wound.
An incident that had me wincing as I saw it happening, but nevertheless an impossible circumstance without him making that move at that precise time.
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 18:39
I agree with MichaelN
. The footage is simply there. He never ever raced the line he did when battling Max. And it is not like Lewis hasn’t pulled out that ‘front wheel on the rear of your opponent’ before. I mean, there are even YouTube compilations of it. Black flag is maybe debatable, but 10sec was ridiculously lenient.
Davethechicken
1st November 2024, 7:49
Just to point out Adrian Newry stated the 2021 Red Bull was the fastest car especially at the start of the season. Ergo Max won in the quickest car in 2021 and needed much help from questionable tactics and biase to do so
Doh
1st November 2024, 15:11
The redbull was the better car the majority of that season. The first few and the definitely the last 4 the Merc was better. Otherwise the redbull was the clear favourite to win. Especially mid season
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
1st November 2024, 0:55
2022 also, the first part of the season, the only time in which there was some serious challenge, before ferrari’s competitiveness was gone, verstappen was also looking like the one who drove better out of the 2 championship contenders.
An Sionnach
1st November 2024, 4:48
Did Toto’s mid-season rule change affect Ferrari and hand Max the eventual walk-over?
SteveP
1st November 2024, 10:30
No, just ask Binnoto.
As was said at the time, Ferrari were not cheating and their problems had nothing to do with the change of compliance testing regarding floor ride height and plank abrasion.
You do believe that, don’t you?
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
1st November 2024, 1:01
And ofc the season isn’t over yet, but if he wins this year it will be a very deserving championship, because of red bull’s dominant start I’ve always had issues saying “mclaren caught up on balance now”, but I would say at this point red bull was not the best car across the season, and so norris should’ve done more compared to what he did so far, but I’d say verstappen overachieved for the car he had.
An Sionnach
1st November 2024, 5:02
Lando would be a deserving champion, but a deserving champion is the best driver in the car that’s the class of the field. It’s very possible for him still. Depending on how things go in the coming races, it may require stellar performances from him, or come to him fairly easily as the Red Bull continues to wither away.
If Max wins… it wouldn’t be quite like if Schumacher had managed it in 1997, but it would be an achievement. It’s been a stunning season for Max, win or lose. My hope is that he can be content with a valiant defeat. If only Schumacher had not snapped under pressure. That was quite a season.
Davethechicken
1st November 2024, 7:59
Max built up an unassailable lead in a Red Bull much faster in the first half of the season.
Now things are more even but McLaren haven’t had the fastest car in the way Red Bull have, with Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes having track specific advantages since.
I would argue we have seen many mistakes by all the drivers but particularly Max this year. Hitting a wall in qualy in Monaco, he was fastest by miles in Spa but couldn’t clear DRS, mistake in Q3 in Monza cost him front row and massively in the race, Silverstone poor tyre management on inters and lost in the quickest car. Not to mention Austria, Hungary, Austin and Mexico.
I haven’t seen a stunning season from him.
I don’t think Lando.is WDC material, but a Leclerc or Hamilton would be cantering home in either the McLaren or Red Bull
Jip
1st November 2024, 10:46
You can pinpoint some mistakes, but overall I think Verstappen has had quite a good season. He is still leading the championship, despite not having the best car since Miami. His wins in Canada and especially Spain were impressive.
His pace was poor at Monza. He was okayish up until Q2, but after this he couldn’t get the tires into their operating window. He managed to almost win at Silverstone because he timed his pitstops very well, and because both Hamilton and Norris were on the slowest tire at the end of the race. His pace early in the race was quite poor. That wasn’t necessarily a car issue, the set-up just wasn’t good (for these conditions at least). He likely would have won at Spa, had he not taken the engine penalty, but there too he was more competitive in qualifying than on race day. Last year, Red Bull had a clear race-pace advantage, which meant Verstappen could take a more laid-back approach. This year, Verstappen is usually on the defensive side and he doesn’t like that at all. For whatever reason the Red Bull is eating its tires, while McLaren have been good on tire wear since they got more competitive, and Ferrari has improved in this area as well.
Davethechicken
1st November 2024, 15:53
Jip
In Monza Max was on for the front row in Q3 after S1 and S2. He carried too much speed into parabolica and over steered, ruining a possible pole lap. Watch the replay. Driver error cost front row start.
In Silverstone he pushed hard too early on inters, overheated them and lost time to the rivals. If he hadn’t overdone his inters he would have had an easy win in the quickest car. Lewis won that race and it is very obvious Mercedes was not the fastest car that day, or indeed in Spa either. Wet weather is the equaliser they say and Lewis made a decisive lead in the wet that Max was rapidly closing when the track dried.
So I disagree with An Sionnach that this is a “stunning” season.
It is an error strewn season by Max, but as I already said I don’t think Norris is any better.
Inspector Eisenhorn
1st November 2024, 11:51
It’s a ridiculous argument to make since it’s not like malicious actions + bad luck affecting a competitor ever helped Lewis win a title or anything. So, you could use the same logic to take away titles from Hamilton, Vettel and many other title winners.
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 11:56
I think everyone missed the fact I was ripping on Verstappen’s ‘objective’. I don’t think it’s a ridiculous assessment, just overly harsh. It’s like saying Mozart’s Requiem could be improved in some places. But the point was that everyone claims ‘objectivity’ when it’s their own viewpoint they’re actually defending.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:37
@david-br Also because Red Bull did not receive a penalty for their overspend in 2021 that counteracted the advantage it received from the overspend. By compound effect, that means Verstappen last raced in a car that met all the regulations for F1 racing in 2020.
Ray West (@raynaud2211)
31st October 2024, 21:37
I do hope the people close to him tell him that he just needs to have smarter tactics. And I mean the late dive bomb in turn 8 that was just to much.
The turn 4 incident is just common defense and I don’t really understand the big fuss about it. Looking at highlights from last year and 2022 it is just common practice. Example: Seen on YT – George russell blaming everyone for 6 minutes – Russell doing a late dive bomb at Perez France 2021 and says it is his corner. It is practically the same what Max did in turn 8. And now it is dangerous. Weird. But I guess times are changing.
However, the constant criticism from the British corner is not fair. What worries me because they have a big voice in how it goes in F1. Herbert, public figure with his own opinion, but also steward. In motogp or football I don’t see the stewards having a opinion about drivers. It doesn’t strike me as fair and objective.
Benhur
1st November 2024, 0:56
The FIA keeping JH as a steward is its most astonishingly iniquitous deed in its 3/4 of a century in existence.
An Sionnach
1st November 2024, 5:12
Yes. The second move in Mexico was completely not on, but everything else Max has tried has been. The narrative is that he is cheating, even though his driving has almost always been within the rules. Then, the rules are unfair… but most suggestions as to what the rules should be are worse. If drivers must be given space all the time, then it encourages desperate lunges. I think Max’s greatest sin is the same as Schumacher’s: he wins when he isn’t supposed to. The rule can’t be that whatever happens Max just cede his position. If it’s something objectively fair and well defined so arbitrary stewarding is not permitted then Max will succeed more than the other drivers and the same people will continue to fume.
Doh
1st November 2024, 15:02
It’s actually quite funny if you think about turn 7, what he did there was worse than Silverstone 2021 much worse. A high speed corner with less run off than copse and he sent it down the inside when back in 21 Horner was saying you don’t pass into copse. That was a clear battle for position with cars offline and alongside each other yet this gets a pass because it max and redbull and oh no the British press. Norris expected it but had he turned in that would have been a big shunt.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
31st October 2024, 21:42
He’s the only one who sees it this way along with some folks that they somehow found and recruited as stewards.
I’m sure the questionnaire goes as follows:
1. If a driver broke the rules would you penalize them? Yes No
2. If Verstappen did the same thing, would you penalize him? Yes (please leave) No (Bingo!!! We have our winner!)
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
1st November 2024, 1:18
Ahah, that’s a fun recruiting process, but more likely not for stewards, but to be among the people close to verstappen he mentions!
SteveP
1st November 2024, 10:38
Amusing, but fortunately not true.
As @esploratore1 says, that may be part of the MV fan club application form, though.
Jeffrey Powell
31st October 2024, 21:52
So now we know ,we have it from the horses mouth. Not in his words but translates as I am not interested in the opinions of anyone but from those who support me for whatever reason !!!!. If these are direct quotes then he considers himself beyond criticism so far talented above ordinary that any Nay Sayers are not worthy of an opinion. I would find it amusing if we weren’t so reflective of this moment in time.
Jeffrey Powell
31st October 2024, 21:55
Sorry last sentence suffered from buffering but you get my drift.
Seppo (@helava)
31st October 2024, 22:01
Whenever I start to thaw on Verstappen – he says something genuinely decent or funny or whatever – he then says crap like this that show how deeply entitled/privileged he is, and how little awareness he has of it, and it’s just utterly repulsive.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
1st November 2024, 1:21
I don’t like the privileged thing, he’s son of a very bad f1 driver, so not overly rich: he got into f1 and into a championship contender\sometimes dominant car with his extraordinary abilities as a driver.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
1st November 2024, 1:22
And he’s one of the drivers that many of us could predict would become world champion even when he had just a decent red bull for example in 2017 or 2018.
Ludewig
1st November 2024, 18:29
@helava
This is the exact opposite of the truth.
Edvaldo
31st October 2024, 22:35
So, as we can see, he still doesn’t think he ever did anything wrong. The rules are to blame. Fine. He’ll be penalized into retirement at this rate, so he’ll be free from all these “annoying people” when he does the same stuff at his simulator games.
Until the others get fed up with him there too.
Laughing orc
31st October 2024, 23:49
What Max is describing sounds like a worryingly sycophantic echo chamber of people repeating his own opinions back at him. It’s a worryingly Trump-ian trait; to believe that the only objective people are the ones who happen to share your own opinion, that the whole world is biased and against you, when in reality the people who are close to you are, naturally, likely to be the most biased in your favour.
Racing style aside, this kind of comment is what makes it hard for me to like or respect Verstsppen – he has a horribly blinkered view of the world, one which I suspect has been very carefully put in place by his father and cemented into place by Red Bull.
Tristan
1st November 2024, 6:02
Or the self-confidence needed to succeed at whatever you’re putting your mind to? A lot of successful people will say you can’t have people around doubting or distracting you from maximum performance.
And yeah, of course he has a blinkered view of the world. Most F1 drivers would if you consider their upbringing and experiences and what they would be focusing on to get where they are. Celebrities, sports stars, etc, they really shouldn’t be looked at for well considered and highly educated perspectives. Presidents on the other hand…
Ludewig
1st November 2024, 18:28
@Laughing orc
He never said that, but I guess you like to make up your own truths.
SteveP
1st November 2024, 19:46
I think you’re assigning malign intent where it may not exist.
Which is wonderfully ambiguous:
I only take note of people I regard as objective because they are close to me and share my opinions
or
I only take note of people I regard as objective, and also those who are close to me.
Who knows, but the general tone of the delivery and other comments lead most people to believe it is the former.
I’m less concerned about what he says than what he does.
powersteer (@powersteer)
1st November 2024, 1:04
Dirty knows no dirty.
Hope he continues driving that way and get banned from racing
Sham (@sham)
1st November 2024, 6:21
I had Verstappen down as an intelligent individual who behaved the way he did through emotion caused by the way he was raised.
It seems I was wrong.
Michael A.
1st November 2024, 6:41
New rule for Formula One:
No overtaking in corners, stay two car lengths behind the car in front – fixed.
Max Verstappen and Nico Rosberg should be true gentlemen and hand over the championships that were ‘stolen’ to Sir Lewis Hamilton. Maybe, just maybe, that will settle the entire matter! I am sick and tired of reading about something that happened back in 2021.
Formula One has sunk to an all time low, and that comment has come from an enthusiast for the sport since 1950. To me Formula One is currently a monumental disaster, but then over-wealthy fools have been making some dreadful decisions recently.
SteveP
1st November 2024, 10:48
Nico got lucky, if just the one race where Lewis’s engine blew when he was cruising to the win had been that easy win then Nico would have had the same result he had had every season he competed against Lewis right back to when they were kids in carts.
Me too. Continually raising the reason Masi got sacked doesn’t right the wrong he did.
Doh
1st November 2024, 15:08
All fine and well untill they had smhin sign and NDA then fired him. Can’t forgive the majory of fans media drivers and team bosses who largely swept it under too. As if they would be okay with it if it had happened to them. That’s why
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:43
Ignoring it is only magnifying the problem, because the FIA wrongly considers that Abu Dhabi 2021 was a good precedent in the sense that it thinks it can do what it pleases if it just lies to people long enough.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:42
Michael A, Nico Rosberg did not rely on multiple wrongful stewarding decisions (including Spa, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, just counting those that endangered other drivers) to be crowned. Nico would not, therefore, need to hand over anything. If you have an objection to his car’s legality, he still wouldn’t be handing it over to Lewis Hamilton, for Lewis was his team-mate and thus joining him on the “disqualified” list. Instead the World Drivers’ Championship trophy would go to Daniel Ricciardo.
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 7:10
Well, he is most certainly not wrong. We’ve all criticised the rules and the enforcement, every single season. They weren’t wrong about his conduct in turn 7 however.
Doh
1st November 2024, 15:14
It’s quite clear how they like to act. They can do no worng but when they’re penalised it’s storming off the podium
It’s actually quite funny if you think about turn 7, what he did there was worse than Silverstone 2021 much worse. A high speed corner with less run off than copse and he sent it down the inside when back in 21 Horner was saying you don’t pass into copse. That was a clear battle for position with cars offline and alongside each other yet this gets a pass because it max and redbull and oh no the British press. Norris expected it but had he turned in that would have been a big shunt.
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 18:43
So what you are saying is Silverstone ’21 were there was actual contact and many G’s for one driver as a result, was less severe? Interesting take. You are also basically saying the one on the inside was wrong in both cases.
Doh
1st November 2024, 19:43
No the point was to horner and the camps critism of that Vs max at Mexico
Doh
1st November 2024, 19:46
In other words according to them one was fine and one wasn’t, when the one that was apparently fine worse since it was a lunge. Imagine that at copse!? Yes a bit higher speed but also much more run off
Todfod (@todfod)
1st November 2024, 9:22
Max might be a phenomenal driver, but he is a rubbish sportsman. He knows that he’s often abusing or breaking the rules to ‘win at any cost’.. and he blames the rule books and regulations for being too ‘thick’ for not letting him get away with it.
Its just a matter of time before another driver starts a season really strong, builds up a healthy points lead, and Max is playing catchup for the WDC title. If that other driver adopts the same tactics as Max currently adopts, its entirely possible for them to run in to Max at each race and cut corners to stay ahead and completely de rail Max’s WDC attempt. I would love to see how Max react’s to that rival’s ruthlessness then. Its guaranteed that Max and his camp will be crying foul and questioning the sports governing body about not having enough rules to attempt this kind of title defense.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
1st November 2024, 12:12
@todfod for sure Red Bull would have smoked the world if the same things had happened to them but I suspect the stewards would have made minced meat of the other driver anyway. Hamilton pretty much destroyed Max with his recent comments and comparing Max to every other driver over 28 years and the fact that the sport is practically ungoverned when it comes to Max.
Doh
1st November 2024, 15:05
Indeed they would have especially based I. How they handled Silverstone 2021. It’s actually quite funny if you think about turn 7, what he did there was worse than Silverstone 2021 much worse. A high speed corner with less run off than copse and he sent it down the inside when back in 21 Horner was saying you don’t pass into copse. That was a clear battle for position with cars offline and alongside each other yet this gets a pass because it max and redbull and oh no the British press. Norris expected it but had he turned in that would have been a big shunt.
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 12:28
@todfod I totally agree about the role reversal. Verstappen pushes the rules as far as possible and the stewards seem constantly to be playing catch up – and until recently failing. I’ve been checking out the ‘Leclerc-Verstappen’ controversies of the past when ‘hard racing’ became ‘officially acceptable’ and it’s quite astounding how mild they are. 2021 set a new (low) bar. The issue, as I see it, is that mostly everyone thought it had disappeared from Max’s repertoire, but as soon as the pressure is on again this season, the same tactics have returned. It’s clear all the other drivers are thinking that. Which doesn’t necessarily mean they’re right (maybe Verstappen is the correct outlier as he thinks) but it’s more likely that he’s seeking to exploit an advantage he gained at the start of the season when the Red Bull was way ahead. If you flipped this round and had Verstappen chasing a points deficit, like you suggest, what then?
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 18:45
That should go unsaid, i’d like to watch F1, not junior categories of which there are plenty.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:45
The issue is in the quotation marks. Junior series often have lots of genuinely hard racing. Many of Max’s moves have been acts of sloppy, careless driving, that come across as being because driving cleanly would be too much like hard work. They have the illusion of hard racing, but are simply poor driving, below the standard expected from corporate karting races.
Grapmg
1st November 2024, 9:32
May I remind Damon of Silverstone 1995. When he makes these accusations to Max we can call his actions with hindsight a murder attack on Schumacher. That move was way more optimistic than what we saw last week. https://youtu.be/az_CdcAdAjE?si=JLvQRMhtu6A0Izs5
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
1st November 2024, 12:02
Yeah but it’s an overtake, not Max pushing out his opponent to prevent racing. Max has done quite a few of those too. He did one on Russell last year and Russell was penalized. Even Max said, he didn’t see me. And that was in a season when he won nearly every race so there was no need to come from so far away. Watch what distance Max tries to cover and the impossibility of making the corner with assistance from Russell, essentially Russell sticking the overtake for Max.
Also did Damon do that in every corner with Schumacher?
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
1st November 2024, 12:03
without assistance from Russell
Grapmg
1st November 2024, 14:12
It’s not an overtake Damon crashed into Schumacher. So a bit hypocrite.
The narrative that Max has done this all year simply isn’t true. The moment Russel or Lando gets a penalty somehow Max get the blame for it in the media. The stewards make their decisions and that’s it. The FIA should support the stewards more. They have a difficult job with all the media hype at the moment.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
1st November 2024, 18:26
It was not clearly an attempt at an overtake by Damon which is very different than what is happening with Max who is defending against Norris. Damon misjudged the corner, no doubt and it’s a clear penalty for him.
But can you show me 6-7 clips of Damon doing that over an entire season with Michael Schumacher or with any of his competitors? You would be right, if that were the case and Damon Hill would be the nutcase that is Max.
Max has been defending illegally since he entered F1 as Kimi and when it comes to the championship, he’ll drive you off the track all the way to Baku if you let him.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
1st November 2024, 18:26
It was clearly…
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:46
Reminder: at the time, some German fans actually did call Damon’s driving that. (As well as some driving from earlier seasons that didn’t come close to that level).
Jamie Franklin
1st November 2024, 9:33
It’s really simple: when defending you have the obligation to keep all four wheels on the track. How Max can see that as even slightly controversial is bonkers.
SteveP
1st November 2024, 10:55
That doesn’t fit with the current track limits rules, which allow for a small part of one wheel inside the line being OK.
You’re right in that the definition should be all four wheels on track and policed with sensors in the line to determine if that regulation has been breeched.
No fancy tech Artificial Stupidity, just simple contact/pressure sensors. Did/did not touch. Simples (as the meme goes)
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:47
Jamie Franklin, in national-level racing (at least in the UK), that is the regulation. In international-level racing, the regulation is to keep at least one wheel within the white line.
G (@unklegsif)
1st November 2024, 12:21
Just saying, but most of the time I only come into the comments to see some of the balanced, nuanced and sensible offerings from @david-br
G
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 14:43
@unklegsif Thanks! [blushes]
HerbertSteward (@madlewis)
1st November 2024, 13:00
Every country that has a driver in F1 is a little biased. It’s just more extreme with the British press. That’s a fact.
SteveP
1st November 2024, 21:37
Nope, that’s a comment from someone assuming that the gutter press is the totality of the press.
I’ve similar gutter level reporting from a variety of countries, including the Netherlands, that doesn’t mean all their press are muck rakers.
Ludewig
1st November 2024, 18:23
I think that it’s perfectly reasonable for him to tune out those who make absurd accusations. Just look at this thread where it’s claimed that Max made a “murder attempt” by trying to go side-by-side with Lewis in a low speed corner.
SteveP
1st November 2024, 21:31
So, the other 19 drivers that “are pretty much aligned” are all out of step and Max is the only one that is right?
Think about those numbers for a while – that’s 19, not 18 (which would still be very much the majority) think he’s out of order.