Max Verstappen News: F1 champion fumes at Red Bull in explosive X-rated rant

Max Verstappen

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Verstappen FUMES at Red Bull in explosive X-rated rant

The three-time F1 world champion endured a frustrating weekend in Monza

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson

Sunday 1 September 2024 20:57

Three-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen launched an X-rated rant at Red Bull following a dismal showing at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Dutchman's disastrous weekend at Monza began on Saturday when he could only qualify seventh - almost seven-tenths off McLaren's Lando Norris on pole.

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Unfortunately for Red Bull, things did not go much better for Verstappen in the race, with the reigning champion only managing to make up one place on his starting spot come the chequered flag.

This meant that Verstappen's lead at the top of the drivers' standings was cut, even if only by eight points, whilst Red Bull's lead in the constructors' standings took a simultaneous hit, with McLaren now just eight points behind.

Max Verstappen cut a frustrated figure post-race in Monza

Max Verstappen's championship lead was cut at the Italian GP

Max Verstappen's X-rated Monza rant

Given that Red Bull and Verstappen are very much used to winning - even dominating - the team and their star have now gone six grands prix without a victory, and further to that point, the Dutchman has only finished on the podium twice in that time.

This represents a sharp downturn in form and is clearly frustrating the reigning champion, who made his feelings very clear post-race in Monza.

"It was of course another pretty dramatic race from our side," Verstappen told Dutch media after the race.

"I didn’t like the strategy. Of course, the pit stop was all fucked up as well.

"Most of the race we had to drive with less power because we had problems. Actually, nothing went right."

Max Verstappen was not happy when talking to the media in Italy

Verstappen's rant continued, once again bringing up his uncharacteristically poor pit stop from Red Bull and explaining that things would likely have been the same had he tried a one stop - a strategy that won Ferrari's Charles Leclerc the race.

“Where we drove makes no difference, especially if we made another pit stop that poor," the three-time champion added.

"Still, if we had made a one-stop, the result would have been the same. Then, however, you would have driven closer to it.

"You always have to try to drive the best race, and that was certainly not the case with a two-stop."

Verstappen concluded: “The gap was still very big and the mediums were not the right tyre today. On the mediums and hards, we had no speed.”

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Lando Norris Italian Grand Prix Monza