F1 champion Max Verstappen ANGER at Red Bull producing 'costly' impact

Max Verstappen

Verstappen ANGER at Red Bull producing 'costly' impact

Max Verstappen has failed to win a race since the Spanish GP

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 11 August 2024 20:58

An F1 pundit has argued that Max Verstappen’s anger at Red Bull could prove ‘costly’ as the team come under threat from their rivals.

McLaren have rocketed to the front of the grid this season, with 42 points separating them from leaders Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.

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As Verstappen has been challenged his anger has spilled out at recent races, most notably in Austria and Hungary.

The champion was involved in a collision with rival Lando Norris after fighting for the lead at the Red Bull Ring, prompting them to both crash and lose out on a victory.

Max Verstappen's last race win was at the Spanish GP

Lando Norris has been Max Verstappen's closest rival this season

Could Max Verstappen’s anger cost him important results?

Their rivalry continued in Hungary with Verstappen going wide on the opening lap, ending up behind Norris, and delivering a tirade of x-rated team radio messages during the race.

His anger culminated in a crash with Lewis Hamilton, whom he attempted to overtake on the main straight, but he instead made contact with the Mercedes driver before slipping down the order.

Sky F1 pundit, Martin Brundle, has criticised the Dutchman’s recent displays of anger, and has revealed it could prove costly.

“If you keep telling somebody that they’re always right, even if they’re wrong, then they’ll not change the way they go about doing things,” Brundle said as per The Mirror.

“But I think it’s interesting to me to why Max is driving so angrily at the moment. It cost him at least third place, it may even cost him a victory in Hungary when he tripped over Lewis and was struggling.

Martin Brundle suggests Max Verstappen's anger could prove 'costly'

“And you know, the team have done some incredible things for him on strategy to win races, to win world championships, and I kind of imagine when he hit Lewis, imagine if the pit wall pressed the button and went, ‘That was rubbish driving Max, sort yourself out. Beep, beep, beep’.

"You know, it would be really odd, and that person would get fired. But it’s no different, is it, really?"

"I was disappointed with that, with what he did,” Brundle added.

“I don’t think you can rinse your team like that in public. Close the door, get back and understand why they were doing what they were doing."

Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren Geri Halliwell