In the wake of a contentious Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen did not mince words in responding to his critics. After a collision with Lewis Hamilton, the reigning world champion finished fifth, seeing his championship lead narrow. Despite race stewards investigating the incident, they ruled no driver predominantly at fault, leaving Verstappen visibly frustrated and vocal.
The incident on the track was not the only source of tension for Verstappen. During the race, he exchanged tensely with his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase. Lambiase suggested that Verstappen had been too aggressive on a new set of tyres, remarking, “That’s some gentle introduction.” Verstappen sharply retorted, “No mate, don’t give me that s--- now. You guys gave me this s--- strategy, OK? I’m trying to rescue what’s left.”
This exchange highlighted the underlying frustrations within the Red Bull camp regarding their strategy. Verstappen was particularly aggrieved by the team's performance in managing pit stops, which he believed compromised his race. "It’s quite impressive how we managed to get undercut. It completely f----- my race," Verstappen lamented earlier.
When asked about his apparent lack of respect, Verstappen's response was blunt and unyielding. “They [critics] can all f--- off,” he declared, before abruptly leaving the media pen. His outburst reflects the intense pressure and high stakes in Formula 1, where emotions often run high both on and off the track.
Lewis Hamilton blames Max Verstappen
Speaking about the incident on Lap 63 Lewis Hamilton blamed Max Verstappen for the collision. During the media briefing, he said, “We passed a black marker and I got into the braking zone and then Max appeared, so I moved over to defend.”
“I left enough room on the inside, but Max locked up and he was going on a different trajectory to me. I was going around the corner and we came shooting across. It felt like a racing incident and it is easy to make mistakes like that so I don’t feel there should be any hostility, but of course from his side there always will be”, he concluded.