Former F1 driver fumes: 'F** outrageous Verstappen wasn't honoured!'
Red Bull Content Pool
F1 News
- Estéban den Toom
Former F1 driver Christijan Albers was left fuming over the lack of a 'homage' to Max Verstappen after he became world champion in Las Vegas. The Dutchman wasn't on the podium but did enough by finishing in front of Lando Norris to become world champion for the fourth consecutive time. Verstappen did not receive a special tribute at the race, and Albers was shocked by this.
"You know what I'm absolutely sick of? I think it's really fu**ng (excuse my language) outrageous how things are arranged when you're world champion. I think they should just start doing two stages: one for the race itself, with places one, two and three, and then there should be a separate moment when he (Verstappen) is honoured," Albers said in De Telegraaf's Formula 1 podcast.
Zhou Guanyu was honoured for finishing outside the points at the Chinese Grand Prix this season. Of course, it was his home race, but Albers is surprised that something similar wasn't done for Verstappen at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
'They haven't got it right'
"There will be a tribute with a gala at the end, I understand that, but you can't put up such a lame thing for the whole world, with 24 races. I think it's really dramatic, I really mean that. That after so many years, they still haven't got it right. You just can't do this, it always ends with a fizzle," the 45-year-old continued.
Albers also thinks it looks strange to relatively new Formula 1 viewers, who may not realise how special Verstappen's performance was throughout the season. "New people watching think, 'He's world champion, where is he?' I think it's just incredible, and especially for 2024. When you look at what crazy things we all have in this world." The former Spyker driver concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Toby Nixon
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!