But the four-time world champion’s memory was of the way he lost the pole position on Saturday, achieved on the track but lost in the office.
Nobody stopped Max Verstappen after winning the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix. The already World Cup champion dominated the race from start to finish to reach the 63rd of his career, ninth of the season in 23 races contested.
But in the memory of the four-time world champion was the way he lost pole position on Saturday, achieved on the track but lost in the secretariat to George Russell for getting in the Englishman’s way during the preparation lap.
This was the stewards’ justification, which did not convince the new four-time world champion, who even accused the British driver of having accelerated to force the punishment and, in the end, even said that Russel is “a bad person”.
This Sunday, Max didn’t hold his tongue when talking about the Mercedes driver’s attitude.
“I can say that I was quite surprised by everything that happened in the meeting room with the commissioners. Honestly, it was very disappointing because I think we are all here, we respect each other very much and, of course, I have been in that room many times during my career, with people who raced with me and I can say that I’ve never seen anyone try to screw the other so much. That’s why he lost all my respect”, said the Dutchman, in post-race interviews at the Losail circuit.
Later, for a media outlet in his country, Max Verstappen went further.
“The way the other driver [George Russell] handled things during yesterday’s track stewards meeting, to me, honestly, it didn’t make sense. I have a lot of respect for the other drivers, but after last night, I lost the respect I had for him, definitely. It was ridiculous the way he pushed for me to receive a penalty right in front of the cameras, always very polite, but when we’re in there [in the meeting room with the commissioners] it’s a shame. completely different person. him”, said Max Verstappen in statements to the Dutch ‘Viaplay’.
