Oct.24 - Max Verstappen was "grumpy" throughout the US GP weekend, Red Bull's team consultant Dr Helmut Marko has admitted.

With the drivers' and constructors' titles all wrapped up with several races to run, Dutchman Verstappen lost pole position on Friday with a track limits violation.

He then spun in the 'sprint shootout' before cruising to an easy sprint win, but on Sunday struggled throughout the US GP in Austin with brake problems - even though he made his way from P6 on the grid to the top step of the podium.

He was then booed by the American fans.

"In the end, I'm the one who takes the silverware home, so all fine by me," Verstappen insisted.

But as he struggled with the car's handling earlier on Sunday, cracks in the relationship with his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase emerged again.

Lambiase, having been chided by Max throughout the race, then told Verstappen on the radio "I'll see you on Friday" - as he skipped the podium proceedings and post-race debrief.

Asked to explain one angry outburst to Lambiase about not talking to him in braking zones, Verstappen hit back: "I said it nicely. At least I said please."

Dutch F1 GP boss Jan Lammers thinks Max was right to chastise his engineer.

"When you're downshifting, it's important that you hear the revs properly, especially if you're having problems," he told NOS.

Team boss Christian Horner, meanwhile, denied that Lambiase actually boycotted the podium and post-race debrief.

"He just had to get back to England - he was rushing to catch his flight," he insisted. "Normally it's Helmut, but now it's the engineer."

Verstappen's father Jos also played down the obvious irritation of his son.

"The feeling wasn't there, so then you get things like this," he told Viaplay.

Marko also defended Red Bull's triple world champion.

"Max was a bit grumpy all weekend," the 80-year-old Austrian smiled. "I think he had to do too many PR activities, and that is never his favourite thing to do.

"He also couldn't drive consistently, because when he braked he had to wait and see what was going to happen," Marko told De Telegraaf newspaper.

"That made it very difficult for Max, but he still managed not to make a single mistake. It is unbelievable that he kept such a strong-driving (Lewis) Hamilton behind in those circumstances."


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15 F1 Fan comments on “Verstappen's Texas Tango: Brake Woes, Boos, and Victory F1 Drama

  1. shroppyfly

    In Maxes words, If your not first , your last........! Nice comment-"In the end, I'm the one who takes the silverware home, so all fine by me,

    Reply
    • Flav' P

      It was gross and embarrassing. We were down on the track and couldn't believe the vitriol. Definitely Checo fans. If these idiots want him to keep the RB seat they sure aren't good at playing the game.

      Reply
  2. donalf

    Do you notice how Max gets his wins, although not really feeling threatened by sir Lulu he raises his adrenalin rush by believing his brakes are playing up, or, is it the tyres, or is it the wind and all this info being fed to sir Lulu who's smelling blood for a win & then max is playing him hook line & sinker. Cooling room banter, Hamilton asks Max, "did you really have brake problems?? Max:sucker.

    Reply
    • CnadianEh

      After reading your post, an image popped into my head: Willy Coyote. The Loony Tunes coyote that would scheme and plan and agonize in his vain attempts to snag that wretched Roadrunner, but kept getting his ass handed to him. Dame Lucille is that scrawny flea-bitten coyote, obsessed with capturing MadMax. In his mind, the next plan will always work, yet fails to realize that no matter how hard he tries, he is destined to fail. As the Young Frankenstien wails in his restless sleep:
      Destiny
      Destiny
      No Escaping
      That's For Me

      Reply

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