Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc were greeted with cheers during their interviews on the grid after qualifying for the British Grand Prix, but Max Verstappen was not. Some of the fans at the Silverstone circuit booed the Red Bull Racing driver.
The Dutchman is not very well regarded by some Brits. It has everything to do with the heated battle between Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen last year. Not only on the track but also off the track 'fights' took place.
"If they want to do that, then let them do that," Verstappen responded to the boos in the press conference which included De Telegraaf present. He shrugged it off."I think it's great to be here. A great circuit and generally a nice atmosphere. Maybe some people don't like me, but that doesn't matter to me."
Verstappen narrowly missed out on pole position. The difference with Carlos Sainz was only 72 thousandths. Christian Horner already indicated that a half spin of Charles Leclerc made not Verstappen but Sainz set the fastest time in Q3.
"Otherwise it would have been pole position, but on the other hand I know the car feels good," said Verstappen, who doesn't seem to be too bothered. "Sometimes things don't go our way, but we're still on the front row. The feeling I had in the car this morning [during FP3] and in qualifying was good, so it should be fine."
What the British fans are saying is, “It’s not bad to be disrespectful, it’s just bad to be disrespectful to our guy.”
The fans should behave better and ironically if we disect the relationship between british fans and Max, after last year's race at Silverstone, if anyone should be upset, then Max should be that one. But as a sportsman, he knows better, moved on, and i am super glad he has that positive mindset and mentality and not hold any grudge. Just move on. As for the crowd, emotions run high, there was an intense rivalry last year, but they should remember that this is a sport, and they should keep it clean. Respect is esential. Though i am aware that not everyone is well educated, so all you can do is accept things as they are and move on, do your job. We don't live in an ideal world.
And park the car in Copse Corner to celebrate!
You can't blame the most stupid people in the world, they are indoctrinated all year round by the media and foremost the hypocrites of SkyF1.
But Verstappen doesn't care at all and reacts strongly.
'If they want to do that, then let them do that' Verstappen responded. "I think it's great to be here. A great circuit and generally a nice atmosphere. Maybe some people don't like me, but that doesn't matter to me."
A true champion!
Thanks to skysports who continously stimulate this behaviour with negative news about Max. Max has not done anything wrong but skysports uses every little bit of negativity they can find surrounding Max to create this negative hype. Some weird baboons on that island.
I'm a Brit and I'm ashamed of the Silverstone crowd.
I don't believe it's just last season. I'd like to know who brought up what Picquet said A YEAR AGO! Wouldn't suprise me if it's the Mercedes mob! Their driver is dismal this year and Max Verstappen is leading the championship. Got to get the limelight back on their driver somehow and just like last season when Max got all the sympathy after the manslaughter attempt at Copse; the race card comes out!
No I don't agree with what Picquet said but his daughter's fella had been deliberately taken out by the guy he was racing in the championship. Tempers get frayed. If I'd paid my hard earned money to go and watch Max race only to see him taken out I would have been (and was) fuming! And you just knew he'd get away with it the same as he always does because the FIA are so bloody scared of being called racist if they dare take him to task!
Even Charles wasn't impressed with the booing.
Mercs must be laughing behind closed doors. Very reason why they played R card in Silverstone.
No they shouldn't not with Max or anyone else for that matter, we're not soccer fans. I am a 44 fan myself but think every driver on the grid should get respect for being a top athlete.
Wow British "fans" is so toxic. Its horrible the way they act. Kinda sad actually. But what to expect of them I guess. Let's hope max wins over Ham/Merc tomorrow and be crowned king of Britain. And i mean, if lu*lu got booed at last year, its no wonder when he tried to basically kill Verstappen on this track. It was well deserved then. While Max is not deserved to get booed at, at all. Always behaving professionaly