Verstappen critical of his team: 'We should have stayed out'

F1 News

Verstappen responds to criticism: 'I say what I think and continue to do so'
5 May 2023 at 07:02
Last update 5 May 2023 at 08:51
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  • Cas van de Kleut

During the race weekend in Baku, not everything was going well for Max Verstappen. The Dutchman was unable to put his car on pole in the sprint shoutout and in qualifying, and there were also small things that were disappointing during the sprint race and the race. Speaking to the Telegraaf, he looks back at what could have been better in Azerbaijan.

In the sprint race, Verstappen got into an argument with George Russell on the first lap, where Verstappen felt he was given too little space. Subsequently, there was a hole in the sidepod of his RB19, forcing the Red Bull driver to drive the rest of his sprint race with damage. After the race, Verstappen called Russell a "dickhead", and there was much ado about that. However, the two-time world champion himself thinks it can be done: "I say what I think and continue to do so. If people have problems with that, that's their problem."

Verstappen critical of his team

In the main race, things also went wrong. Verstappen was first, until Nyck de Vries ' car stalled. The Red Bull driver was then called to change his tyres, but just after the pit stop, a safety car arrived, causing him to lose his first place to his teammate Sergio Pérez. In the end, the two-time world champion finished second as a result. According to Verstappen, this should not have happened: "We should have stayed out, if you look at how easily a safety car is chosen in recent years."