Max Verstappen launches x-rated blast at F1 rival

Max Verstappen launched a scathing assessment of one of his rivals during the Italian Grand Prix weekend.

During FP3 on Saturday ahead of the crucial qualifying session, Haas' Esteban Ocon attempted to re-pass Verstappen, after the four-time champion had overtaken him on the home straight in order to find space for himself for a hot lap.

Ocon was not having any of Verstappen's antics, however, overtaking the Dutchman once more at the turn one chicane, causing them both to have to back off from their hot laps.

That led to Verstappen releasing a cheeky comment aimed at Ocon, saying over team radio: "He's such a ****."

The incident didn't cause any problems for either driver, other than the annoyance at having to back out of the lap having not had the best of starts to the flying lap.

Verstappen seeking resurgence

The pressure is on Verstappen this weekend, with the four-time champion's grip on his title slipping away.

Verstappen has held the drivers' championship since 2021, but is currently 104 points behind 2025 championship leader Oscar Piastri, with just nine races remaining.

The Dutchman would need to be almost faultless between now and the end of the season to have any chance of retaining his crown, and would be hoping for some more McLaren reliability issues as happened to Lando Norris last weekend in Zandvoort.

Verstappen's first challenge before all that will be to try and get back to race-winning ways, having only claimed two race victories all season, and not one since May.

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