WATCH: Red Bull lashes out at Max Verstappen for his childish behavior

In a surprising turn of events at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen, the drivers’ championship leader and three-time world champion, found himself publicly rebuked by his team. The incident unfolded after Verstappen collided with Lewis Hamilton on lap 63 of the 70-lap race, which led to a series of heated exchanges on the team radio.

The clash with Hamilton was a critical moment in the race, with Verstappen ultimately finishing a frustrated fifth. His dissatisfaction quickly turned into vocal criticism over the team radio, where he blamed Red Bull’s strategy for his underwhelming finish. His outburst included several profanities, targeting everything from the car’s performance to the strategy decisions made by his team.

The most notable moment came when Verstappen accused Hamilton of causing the collision by moving into his ‘braking zone’. Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s usually composed race engineer, responded sternly, telling the Dutch driver not to be “childish” and to leave the incident’s assessment to the stewards. “I am not even going to get into a radio fight with the other teams, Max,” Lambiase said. “It’s childish on the radio, childish.”

Here is the video:

VERSTAPPEN 💥 HAMILTON



A big hit which sent the Red Bull flying and ultimately ended the fight for P3 🥉#F1 #HungarianGP pic.twitter.com/I7K2Nu5sgG

— Formula 1 (@F1) July 21, 2024

Max Verstappen defends his action

This public rebuke from Lambiase highlighted the tension within the Red Bull camp and suggested a growing frustration with Max Verstappen’s behaviour. The incident also drew attention from the race stewards, who summoned Verstappen to explain his part in the collision. Despite the heated exchange and the crash, the officials decided not to take any further action against him.

Verstappen, known for his fiery temperament, defended his behaviour after the race. “I don’t know why people think that you can’t be vocal on a radio,” he stated. “This is a sport and if some people don’t like that – then stay home.” As the championship battle intensifies, all eyes will be on Verstappen to see how he manages his emotions and whether he can steer clear of further controversies.