Метка: Max Verstappen

Verstappen not interested in Horner/Brown rivalry

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Max Verstappen insists he simply «doesn’t care» about the feud between Red Bull Formula 1 team principal Christian Horner and McLaren boss Zak Brown.

The latest spat between the two has overshadowed much of the track action at this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Austin, where Verstappen qualified second behind title rival Lando Norris.

Brown was leading the charge for Red Bull to face punishment if a potential breach of parc ferme rules was found after the presence of a device below the Red Bull cockpit that allowed a quick change of ride height was discovered.

It fuelled suspicions that it could have been used by the team to adjust its front bib, but the FIA’s judgement has since found that Red Bull did not break F1’s rules.

The controversy comes after McLaren faced its own FIA investigation following the Azerbaijan GP after video footage of its rear wing flexing was broadcast.

The way that the upper element of the rear wing rotated back to help open up the slot gap led to the concept being swiftly labelled as ‘mini-DRS’.

McLaren clarified that it had made modifications ahead of the race in Austin, with Horner having been on the offensive since the wing news broke in Singapore.

While Brown and Horner play out their feud in the media, their drivers continue to fight for supremacy on the track.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, in the team principals Press Conference

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, in the team principals Press Conference

Photo by: FIA Pool

Verstappen won Saturday’s sprint race from pole position but then had to settle for a front-row start alongside polesitter Norris for Sunday’s United States GP.

Asked about Horner’s feud with Brown, Verstappen told Autosport: «That doesn’t interest me. We were just using it as a tool to adjust the ride height faster.

«It was not really McLaren per se, it was more Zak. Zak doesn’t like Christian, so yeah… And vice versa, I think! That’s just how it is. That’s not my problem either.

«I really don’t care about this at all. I don’t deal with that. I see it, I read it. But then I turn it off again and go and watch MotoGP or go on the sim.»

Verstappen still leads the way in the drivers’ championship as he aims to defend his title, although McLaren now tops the constructors’ standings following a drop-off in pace for Red Bull.

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Austin, though, has offered something of a timely return to form for Verstappen, who admits it has been a while since he felt as good behind the wheel as he did on Friday and Saturday.

«That was a long time back! I don’t even remember when that was, to be honest,» he said.

«So that’s definitely positive. From the first lap in qualifying, it actually went well. And my first lap in Q3 also went well overall. But, at Turn 19, I didn’t make the corner, so that didn’t quite work out.

«Then, of course, you normally have a second chance. Only this time there wasn’t because of the yellow flag. That’s a shame of course, but it can happen sometimes.»



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Verstappen to continue FIA protest over swearing at US GP

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Max Verstappen is poised to continue his ongoing row with the FIA after he was punished for swearing.

The Formula 1 world champion was hit with a community service sanction at the Singapore Grand Prix after he used foul language in a live televised press conference.

The Red Bull driver responded to the penalty by holding his own impromptu press briefings in the paddock in Singapore after giving short answers during the FIA press conferences, which is he requested to attend.

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Verstappen said he had yet to receive the full details of his punishment but he would continue to hold his own media sessions where he would continue to speak his mind.

Speaking at the United States Grand Prix in Austin, he said: “I have not heard anything [from the FIA], so for me it doesn’t really change anything.”

When asked to clarify what he meant and whether he would do his own media, away from the FIA, he added: “With the situation. I mean, I also have to talk less, so it is fine for me.”

Verstappen’s stance has received the backing of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, with George Russell saying the organisation is hoping to have a hearing with the FIA next week to discuss the incident.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA, with Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA, with Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Verstappen also said he would be open to discuss the matter with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem — and would be waiting for his call.

He added: “At the end of the day, everyone has their own opinion, but it is quite clear that, like I said already it was silly stuff.

“I am always open for a chat [with Ben Sulayem], but from my side at the moment it is not that I am the one who has to reach out with this stuff. I just live my life and continue, nothing changes.”

When asked if the FIA had made something from nothing, Verstappen said: “Yeah, but that is in general the world in which we live in, right? A lot of stuff is like that.

“This particular scenario, I think it is very unnecessary. Of course I know you can’t swear but that is more related to insults and then you see comments from people saying they don’t want kids seeing that.

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“When I was five years old, I never watched a press conference in my life anyway. At school, you say way worse things than that, that’s just how life is.

“If you want to set an example, yeah, sure, but I don’t think you should make a big deal of it. I just want to live my life, and if I don’t agree with something I will say it. That’s it.”



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Red Bull drivers deny front bib device boosted car performance

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Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have denied the adjustable front bib ride height device at the centre of a technical storm engulfing Red Bull at Austin has ever added Formula 1 car performance.

On Thursday at the United States Grand Prix, Red Bull admitted it was the team involved in discussions with the FIA over a clampdown on such a system – following the governing body being alerted to its existence at the previous round in Singapore.

It has been suggested that this device had a range of settings that could be adjusted – most likely by a mechanic at specific times – to help alter the car ride height.

While using such a system is normal, it would be illegal if this action was performed once parc ferme conditions began after qualifying and until the start of a race (including sprints).

A Red Bull representative said: “Yes, it exists although it is inaccessible once the car is fully assembled and ready to run.

“In the numerous correspondence we have with the FIA, this part came up and we have agreed a plan going forward.”

Red Bull’s drivers then faced the media in the paddock at the Circuit of the Americas, with Perez speaking first.

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Lionel Ng / Motorsport Images

When asked by Autosport how the team has reacted to the saga, Perez claimed “there has been nothing that we were doing”.

“We never actually talked about it,” he added. “It was impossible.

“If anything, for example, I remember here that last year it was a sprint event, so we ended up with the ride height [close to] the moon.

“It was completely out of it because we were concerned about something like what happened to Mercedes [and Ferrari, being disqualified for excessive underfloor plank wear] that could happen to us.”

Pressed on whether he and Verstappen knew the controversial part existed, Perez replied: “I knew it existed but it was not available to us [to be used].”

Regarding the implication that such a device – if used under parc ferme conditions – would be performance enhancing and if they expected any impact on performance, both Red Bull drivers denied this.

Verstappen claimed when he first saw the initial story about the device being discussed with the FIA, he believed it actually involved another team.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

“It is open source, right?” he said of the parts whose design has to be submitted to the FIA so competitors are aware.

“Everyone can see it. For us it was just an easy tool when the parts were off. It was to adjust, but once the whole car is built together you cannot touch it. So for us it doesn’t change.

“When I read it [the story], I was thinking about other teams doing it and then I found out it was related to our team, and we never even mentioned it in the briefing.”

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The saga over the Red Bull system comes hot on the heels of technical intrigue surrounding the team’s main rival McLaren, which has made changes to its rear wing following controversy over a ‘mini-DRS’ concept.

Perez said that ultimately it was down to the FIA to decide if what teams were doing was allowed or not.

“I think it is down to the FIA to draw a line whether it is legal or illegal,” he explained. “They are the ones who control the sport so at the end of the day it is up to them to decide.”



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People come up with bizarre things

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Max Verstappen says he was baffled by the rumours swirling over the summer on Red Bull’s alleged use of asymmetric braking, and addressed rival Formula 1 teams trying to stir up trouble.

After a dominant start to 2024, Red Bull’s fortunes took a turn for the worse around May’s Miami Grand Prix, when McLaren brought a major upgrade package that revamped its MCL38 into a race-winning car, while Red Bull says it went down a wrong development path with its RB20.

Red Bull initially struggled to respond to its downturn in competitiveness, with its last win now dating back to Verstappen’s triumph in June’s Spanish Grand Prix, and has only just started turning the corner on its car’s handling issues in recent races.

Speculation over the source of Red Bull’s form dip mounted in the summer when the FIA tightened up its regulations around asymmetric braking, effectively closing a loophole for the 2026 regulations and retroactively applying the new phrasing to this year’s rulebook.

The FIA further confirmed the rule change had not been prompted by a current team using a system that the new wording outlawed, but that didn’t stop speculation from suggesting it was Red Bull that had been using a solution that it then had to remove from the RB20.

Speaking exclusively to Autosport, Verstappen reflected on the whole episode, and the flak his world championship-winning team received, with some amusement. «People always come up with different stuff,» he said. «I find it really bizarre how they come up with some of these things, but it is what it is. It’s part of the game, but I usually just let it go.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Lionel Ng / Motorsport Images

«I’ve been in F1 for 10 years now and I’m not wasting time on all those stories. I mean, I barely read anything about F1 anyway. Of course, sometimes I see something or someone else tells me: «Did you see what this and that person said?’ But I always say people can think what they want, I’m not going to waste my energy on that. So, I don’t really care about what other people say.»

Red Bull also caught flak from rival teams over its form dip and its off-track power struggles, which prompted McLaren CEO Zak Brown to say that Red Bull had been «destabilised». He later described the team as a «pretty toxic» environment.

«People that say all sorts of stuff should just focus on their own team,» Verstappen replied when the subject was brought up. «That’s nothing specifically against Zak Brown, by the way, it applies to everyone. People just need to focus on themselves, and that’s what I’m doing as well.»

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The Red Bull — McLaren rivalry has now also ignited on track, with McLaren overtaking Red Bull in the constructors’ championship and Lando Norris challenging Verstappen for the drivers’ title, including a collision between the pair in Austria. But the Dutchman doesn’t think things will get as tense as they were during a fraught 2021 title clash with Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes.

«Yes, because right now we still have four teams at the front, while back then you just had the same two people up front,» he explained. «Of course, 2021 was my first world championship, so that was very different already. I think I’m a bit more relaxed about it now.

«Of course, I want to win and of course, I’m going to do my best to defend that [52-point] lead. But the feeling is very different from 2021.»



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Why Verstappen thinks the worst of F1 2024 is behind him

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Max Verstappen is hopeful that Monza has been the low point of this Formula 1 season for Red Bull as the team is trying to find its form again with its 2024 car.

When Verstappen crossed the finish line at the opening race in Bahrain with a 22-second lead, consensus in the paddock was that 2024 would be a repeat of the two previous F1 seasons. Six months later, reality is very different with Red Bull having taken a wrong turn with the RB20’s development while its closest rivals, led by McLaren, have made immense progress.

Sitting down with Autosport in Singapore, Verstappen delves into the challenges that Red Bull has faced after starting off the year so well. «In the beginning I was surprised as well, but if you look at what our problems were, then I fully understand it,» the Dutchman says. «At some point, we have gone in the wrong direction. The other teams have either not faced that particular point yet or they developed the car in a slightly different way. That is always difficult to assess.»

With Verstappen still dominant in Japan and China, the Miami and Imola race weekends in May appeared to be a turning point, but the reigning world champion reveals he sensed much earlier than the outside world that things weren’t quite right at Red Bull.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

«Early on I realised that the feeling was very different from last year’s car in terms of balance,» he explains. «At that time our car was still a lot quicker than the others, or maybe I should say that the others were not so good back then, so at that stage we could still compensate for our difficulties. In the races after that it got worse and worse. At one point our car was just very difficult to drive and at the same time the others made real progress.»

Verstappen has repeatedly stated he feels the front and the rear end of the car were not feeling connected any more and had been a visible departure from last year’s machine. At the car presentation in Milton Keynes last winter, Verstappen revealed he was shocked by the stark changes when he first saw the RB20’s sketches, which now raises the question whether or not the change of concept has been a mistake in hindsight: «I don’t think you can tell from the outside what went wrong, so that’s not the point,» Verstappen dismisses. «What the car looks like on the outside is not the issue.»

Does Red Bull’s outdated wind tunnel play a role?

Verstappen’s handling comments imply that Red Bull’s problem was at least partly connected to the floor. Unintended consequences of a new floor are a headache that many teams have faced under these regulations. Mercedes struggled for two years with the ground-effect cars, while Ferrari saw high-speed bouncing return with a floor update in Barcelona. «It seems trickier than that everyone thinks,» Verstappen acknowledges. «At the moment even McLaren is holding back a new floor, which they are not fully sure about. It’s a lot more sensitive with upgrades than under previous regulations.»

Teams are also facing difficulties correlating their sensitive floor upgrades in the wind tunnel with how the car actually behaves out in the real world, finding out the hard way that downforce in the virtual world didn’t always make a car quicker on track. That appears especially relevant to Red Bull’s case, given its relatively outdated wind tunnel, with the team working on plans for a new facility.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 2nd position, lifts the trophy in celebration

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 2nd position, lifts the trophy in celebration

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

«That is a very difficult topic to talk about, but it is more complicated to get that right than with the old cars,» Verstappen acknowledges, while playing down the impact of the team’s wind tunnel. «It’s true that we have a fairly old wind tunnel, but until this year it did everything right. Some things are just hard to understand. You see that with all the other teams as well, except McLaren. All teams have had their own problems, including teams with modern wind tunnels. I think it is just extremely difficult to fine-tune things perfectly or to get exactly the right data out of it. That can be down to a lot of things in the wind tunnel itself or how it correlates with the track.»

Has Red Bull found the beginning of a solution?

For Red Bull, its main objective is to now end its run of poor form and make step-by-step progress. According to Verstappen, that upward trajectory has already started with the floor upgrade in Baku. Verstappen took the wrong set-up choice in Azerbaijan, which makes comparisons difficult, but following a difficult spell team-mate Sergio Perez was able to fight for the podium before a late clash with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. A week later Verstappen took second in Singapore and while he was miles away from title rival Lando Norris in the McLaren, the fact that Red Bull finished second on what had been its worst track in 2023 was a positive sign.

The team only mentioned ‘subtle changes’ to the underfloor in Baku, but Verstappen is hopeful that this specific upgrade is the beginning of a solution: «Yes, it felt better. That was already a good step for us. I do think we are moving in the right direction now, it will take some time. You can’t turn something like this around in one or two weeks. But I do think the team was happy with what they saw in Baku as well.»

It’s not enough to compete with Norris and McLaren for race wins just yet, but Red Bull will bring another update package to the United States Grand Prix in Austin later this month. The magnitude and effectiveness of its latest upgrades remains to be seen, but Verstappen is hopeful that the worst of this F1 season — with a disastrous Monza race the absolute low point — is now behind him. «Yes, I do think so to be honest. Hopefully we can continue to make good steps from here.»

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Singapore GP steward Herbert explains Verstappen’s FIA swearing penalty

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Johnny Herbert has explained the decision making behind Max Verstappen’s penalty for swearing, having been part of the FIA stewards panel at the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

Verstappen has been issued with a community service order by F1’s governing body for swearing in a live televised press conference.

PLUS: What happened the last time Verstappen did community service

It comes after an Autosport exclusive interview with the FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem in which he urged drivers to curb their foul language.

In the article, Ben Sulayem said: «We have to differentiate between our sport — motorsport — and rap music.
 We’re not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That’s them and we are [us].»

While Herbert — who was a race steward at the Singapore GP where the Dutchman swore in the press conference and was punished — says the sanction was not a direct result of Ben Sulayem’s wishes to target bad language, he has provided insight into the decision.


«At the press conference in Singapore, Max used the ‘F’ word about his car. The press conferences are beamed around the world,» he told CasinoHawks. 

«There is more swearing than there ever has been. A press conference is not the place for it.

«Some journalists have said the sport is trying to make robots out of the drivers. That’s not the case. You are just asking them not to swear, which I think is the right thing. Most drivers don’t swear.

Johnny Herbert, former driver and FIA steward, arrives at the track

Johnny Herbert, former driver and FIA steward, arrives at the track

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

«The incident was referred to us as stewards. We had a good open chat with Max for about 20 minutes, half an hour, in what was a difficult situation. 


«You could see in his face he was really worked up about it. But when he left, he appeared to be mollified about the process and why it’s there. He did not blame us as stewards.

«As stewards, we have a range of tools to punish drivers. We are there to implement the rules and make a decision together.

«We could have fined him, but we felt it would be more beneficial to get him to do something socially responsible. It is up to Max and the FIA what that is.

«It all blew up afterwards because he went to the press conference and gave one-word answers then held his own impromptu press conference outside in the paddock.

«That showed Max’s rebellious streak. I love that side of him, it is what makes Max, Max, his honest and outspoken character. But there is a time and a place.

«Personally, I think there is too much swearing. I don’t want my five-year-old grandchild listening to that sort of language.»

Herbert also admitted that Ben Sulayem’s controversial interview «did not go down very well with the drivers» and claims they were «antagonised».

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President

Photo by: Dom Romney / Motorsport Images

He added: «There is an FIA code about not using foul language. A week before, the FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem had talked about swearing and saying F1 drivers shouldn’t swear, and they were not ‘rappers.’ 


«That did not go down very well with the drivers who were antagonised, especially Lewis [Hamilton] who felt it was a racial slur.

«The drivers were not happy about it. They all bandied together with Max.

«I have noticed that the drivers are a much closer-knit bunch than I have seen for many years. They have much stronger opinions on issues.

«Swearing is something Ben Sulayem is wanting to stamp out. You can’t so much in the heat of the moment during a race in the car when emotion comes out.

«I hope common sense prevails on F1 drivers swearing moving forward — the drivers and FIA need to work together.

«There has to be an understanding that both sides need to work together. I know the FIA President is unhappy with foul language. 

«There is an understanding among drivers that swearing at a press conference is not right. It is just something that built up from the President’s initial ‘rappers’ comment which some found offensive to then Max being dragged before the stewards in Singapore.»

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, in the post Qualifying Press Conference

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, in the post Qualifying Press Conference

Photo by: Lionel Ng / Motorsport Images

Herbert also says that there has since been a meeting with the F1 drivers and that the exact details of the community service punishment dished out to Verstappen are yet to be agreed.


He said: «We had a meeting with the drivers afterwards when at least one, who I won’t name, made clear that in his opinion, swearing was not acceptable.

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«There are many youngsters around the world who love the sport and worship the drivers. Drivers have to understand that they are role models.

«We made the decision that there was a case to answer if you like. It is between Max and the FIA to agree what the sanction should be and what it would be. That part is out of our control.»



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McLaren’s one-second-a-lap dominance is “alien” to Verstappen

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Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko is worried that McLaren’s Formula 1 advantage has turned into “a whole new world” lately, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen equally astonished.

Lando Norris was unrivalled in the recent Singapore Grand Prix, outqualifying Verstappen by two tenths for pole position before winning the race with a 21-second margin on the three-time champion – the gap having been as high as 29 seconds.

This marked the continuation of an eight-race winless drought for Red Bull and Verstappen, with just one pole position and three podium finishes to the Dutchman’s name in that period, while McLaren racked up four poles, as many wins and 11 top-three results.

Verstappen and Marko had “a long conversation” on the phone last week on Tuesday, during which Red Bull’s performance struggle compared to McLaren was brought up.

Asked in an interview with Autosport sister publication Formel1.de what his driver told him then, Marko mentioned: “Well, that Lando’s dominance is alien, especially on medium tyres – he took nine tenths to one second per lap from us.

“Even if our car had been, let’s say, optimised, he couldn’t have driven those times on the medium. And we’re all wondering how he did it.

“When Norris takes nine tenths to one second per lap from us, then it’s a whole new world. And don’t forget, in the second stint, [Charles] Leclerc was just as fast as Lando or almost a bit faster. So for us, I would almost say that second place was like a victory.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Lionel Ng / Motorsport Images

While McLaren built its successful form on continuity, having opted to keep the same floor since the Miami Grand Prix back in May, Red Bull brought a “subtle” update to its own ahead of the Baku and Marina Bay rounds.

“It is a step in the right direction, but it is not enough,” Marko said of the upgraded Red Bull floor.

“They have worked very, very hard and have gained certain insights. It wasn’t a completely new floor, but parts of it were new. But I think the deciding factor will be performance in Austin, and there are a lot of other things coming.”

Team principal Christian Horner had described the Monza race as “the low point” for Red Bull after Verstappen finished sixth with a 38-second deficit to race winner Leclerc, and Marko agreed that it had been “more than a wake-up call”.

“It was the worst race since… I don’t know, I can’t remember when we got it so wrong in terms of strategy, pitstop, speed, everything,” he enumerated.

“But we are now on the right track. The car needs to have a wider operating window – not one where relatively small changes, or temperature differences of six or seven degrees, can affect performance.

“And then more speed and also more bandwidth so that Max can attack. We know that he needs a car with front-end bite. Because just relying on coming in second is not good enough,” he added, referring to the fact that Verstappen can still afford to take second place in every remaining race to win the drivers’ title.

However, with Red Bull now 41 points away from McLaren in the constructors’ championship and having scored 119 fewer points in the last six rounds – in no small part thanks to Sergio Perez failing to finish a single race in the top five since the Miami event – Marko conceded that this title battle was likely over “with the performance we currently have”.

Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, Helmut Marko, Consultant, Red Bull Racing

Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing, Helmut Marko, Consultant, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

“But I’m optimistic that if Max wins races again and Sergio can then achieve third or fourth place, then things will look different again,” he added. “But the focus is primarily on the drivers’ title for now.

“But if we achieve that – and I believe that’s only possible if Max wins at least two more races – then it will also look a bit more promising in the constructors’ championship.”

Watch: Why RB have Dropped Ricciardo for Lawson with Immediate Effect



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Ricciardo can reflect on F1 career «anyone could dream of»

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Max Verstappen has praised Daniel Ricciardo as the Australian prepares to learn whether he will remain in Formula 1 for next season.

Red Bull is expected to make a decision on whether Ricciardo, 35, will be retained by its sister team RB for next season and continue to partner Yuki Tsunoda.

Liam Lawson is also in contention for the seat after he impressed filling in for Ricciardo last year when he was ruled out with a broken wrist.

Ricciardo is understood to have the full support of Red Bull boss Christian Horner. However, the Australian has been unable to repay that faith with performances on track.

When asked about the predicament Ricciardo now faces, Verstappen gave a cryptic response that sounded vaguely like a goodbye speech for the eight-time GP winner.

Speaking on Thursday in Singapore about the driver he spent three years racing alongside at Red Bull in 2016-18, he said: «Daniel is a great guy, I think he has proven himself as a great Formula 1 driver.

«He’s a friend of mine. And being in this kind of position is never nice.

«But on the other end, I don’t think he has to feel sorry for himself.

Daniel Ricciardo, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team

Daniel Ricciardo, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

«Sometimes things maybe don’t work out the way you want them in certain stages of your career, but you still have achieved a lot more than anyone could ever dream of in their lives.

«So even if this is, let’s say, the last race or whatever, you can still look back at something amazing that not many people can achieve and do something else.

«I mean, why not? [There are] many more race series or not. Maybe just chill back at the farm, have a lot of fun.

«He’s a great guy. So for me, it doesn’t really matter or not if you deserve to be here. A lot of people deserve to be here.

«Some don’t deserve to be here, that’s life in all kinds of sports. It’s how it goes.»

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Meanwhile Ricciardo has said he has been unable to show his true potential in races since he returned to F1 with RB after being let go after a disappointing run at McLaren.

He said: «I don’t wish to be in the middle, for sure. But obviously, I look back at my year and yes, if you asked me in January, ‘how do you think a year is going to go?’ I would have said, ‘I expect it to have gone better than this’.

«But it’s not through, lack of anything really, I really felt like I put everything into it this year.

Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

Daniel Ricciardo, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

«And, okay, sometimes the result doesn’t come out the way you wish or hope or doesn’t always translate to maybe the effort you put in. But that’s sport.

«I’m always going to look myself in the mirror and try to be as critical as possible. And I wish I’d found some more consistency this year.

«But honestly, getting back into the sport after the McLaren period, I was more just looking for speed and proving to myself that I could still run at the front with these guys.

«And there have been moments of that.

«Obviously, I wish I could produce it every weekend, but if I take a little bit of heat away from myself, I think it’s also hard to do in a midfield battle.»



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Verstappen handed warning for VSC incident in Azerbaijan GP

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Max Verstappen has avoided punishment for overtaking under a virtual safety car after the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. 

The world champion and several other F1 drivers were investigated for overtaking under virtual safety car conditions after the finish of a thrilling race in Baku.

The VSC came out for a crash on the penultimate lap between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz, who tangled on the run down to Turn 3.

Their accident littered debris at that part of the track which drivers had to weave through, while the clash also brought out the medical car as a precaution.

The circuit-wide VSC situation, which prohibits any overtaking, stayed in force until after the chequered flag, when Red Bull driver Verstappen was seen passing Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren driver Lando Norris on the main straight before entering the pits, sticking his thumb out to congratulate Norris on coming out on top of their battle.

The Dutchman, however, was then summoned by the stewards, as were Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and Alpine duo Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.

The quartet were all given a warning, with Verstappen’s stewards review explaining: «The driver overtook other cars after the chequered flag, but while a VSC was still being displayed, following the crash at Turn 2.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

«The driver was reminded that while passing after the chequered flag is not unusual, it is prohibited in the case of yellows, safety care or virtual safety car procedures.

«While the drivers were aware of where the incident was, they could not have known if emergency equipment or marshals were being dispatched onto the track, and so have to proceed with caution.

«The Stewards are aware that this happened earlier this season and was not noticed at the time. We are therefore warning the driver concerned, along with all other competitors. Further breaches may incur significant penalties.»

Speaking ahead of the stewards’ investigation, Verstappen said he was surprised to have been called in front of them.

«I don’t know. I did everything correct. I crossed the line, finish line, all good. Chequered flag. I think on the in-lap, you know, end of the race, there are many examples before where it was the same, virtual safety car, safety car,» he said.

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«You drive in and on the in-lap, you know, people are passing each other slowly or wave, well done, stuff like that. That’s what I did. So I’m a bit surprised.»

A punishment would have rounded off another disappointing weekend for Verstappen, the reigning champion having finished fifth as he was one of several drivers to benefit from Leclerc and Sainz’s crash.

His lead at the top of the championship has been cut to 59 points and McLaren has moved ahead of Red Bull in the constructors’ standings.



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