Verstappen says he is not bothered by booing of British fans
Jul.3 - Max Verstappen says he is not bothered that large sections of the crowd at Silverstone this weekend are booing him at every opportunity.
The reigning world champion was booed on his track walk on Thursday, again when he threw Red Bull t-shirts into the crowd later on, and most prominently after qualifying second for Sunday's British GP.
The suspicion is that the partisan British crowd is still unhappy about last year's crash with Lewis Hamilton and the controversial outcome of the 2021 world title.
Many fans have also admitted their anger that Red Bull and Verstappen have been quiet in their condemnation of Nelson Piquet over last week's 'N-word' saga.
Even so, Hamilton said he was uncomfortable with the booing.
"I think we're better than that," he said. "They shouldn't do that.
"Of course fans feel emotions and some may still feel the pain from last year and I appreciate the support I get. But I don't agree."
Even Hamilton's Mercedes boss Toto Wolff spoke out against the fans' behaviour at Silverstone.
"It is unsportsmanlike," he is quoted by the Dutch publication Formule 1.
"The enthusiasm from the fans and the support for Lewis here is fantastic, but if you like someone a little less, just shut up.
"No driver deserves something like that, regardless of what happened last year and in any competition. There are limits."
Red Bull's Verstappen said the booing after qualifying was "a bit disappointing" because he struggled to hear the questions asked by Billy Monger, a British driver who lost his legs in a Formula 4 crash in 2017.
"But for the rest, if they want to boo, they can do that," said the Dutchman. "I mean, it's not going to change anything for me.
"Maybe some of them don't like me, but that's fine. They all have their own opinions. I don't care."
Verstappen's boss Christian Horner called the booing "unusual" for a British crowd, "but it's something he accepts".
"Next weekend, I know that there's going to be a lot of support," he said, referring to the team's home race in Austria. "He has massive support wherever we go around the world. So you know, it's one of those things."
Verstappen was more forthright about his feelings in conversation with the Dutch press, but he said he doesn't want his own legions of fans to retaliate in Austria next weekend.
"Again, it doesn't bother me," he told De Telegraaf newspaper.
"So they don't have to do that for me. It's not like it gives me extra power or anything like that."
However, he also warned the fans at Silverstone to keep their hostility to the grandstands, as he is staying in a motorhome in the paddock this weekend.
"If they bother me there, I will kick them away. It is what it is," Verstappen said.
"It's quite new that things like this are happening in Formula 1, but I focus on what I have to do - go fast on the track.
"I'm not the type to force someone to speak out against it either. But if it had been the other way around, I would get a hundred questions from the English press about that.
"Here, I get one," he concluded.
✅ Check out more posts with related topics:
I expect nothing less than booing from the culture and society that is the undisputed champion of imperialism around the globe.
It's not clear why people wrongfully attribute Britain's imperialism to the US, but it was so bad that a bunch of rag-tag pilgrims who fled British subjugation had to kick their ass, and they did so handily. The truth is, it's always been the British forcing things on people, be it their government or then the Church of England.
Happy Birthday, America. Happy 4th of July.
Nice to have US fans weigh in, but this is a F1 site, not a politics site. You're embarrassing us.
blo me
Generally I agree with you ROR. Unfortunately, politics have been brought into f1 rather anyone likes it or not. It would be nice to just read about the race, the good and bad decisions that were made during the race. However, drivers and team principles have open up the political door. It was unfortunate the the English fans embarrassed themselves with childish behavior, especially when Lewis was punished for his part in what happened last year.
I was checking into the Savoy about 1996, the hotel clerk looked at my ID and said, " oh, you're from the colonies". I replied, yeah, the colonies that kicked your a$$ and saved you not once but twice from the saxons. He looked me in the eye and shook my hand.
And that, my friends, is why we Americans are loved all over the world.
The Brit’s are not highly regarded anywhere either.
We we were just pushed getting into both of Europe’s wars. Sorry about that. Maybe we should have stayed home as not to offend you all. My guess, it won’t happen again.
A little tired of America bashing. I’m all for America first and let everyone else work out their sovereign problems.
Where you late to check in, not for the first time.
fwiw i'd have rather learned german than arabic
Too bad Vic Elford is not around to tell his story about what his black lab was named.
Well, well.
Mad Max getting boo'd. For shame!
At least this year, Dame Lucille didn't get to make his planned and carefully executed wheel-to-wheel contact that tossed Max out of the British GP last year - even though he was trying to set it up.
Ohhh, right, it was Max's fault. Of course.
Then there's David Croft being a dick-head - "Silvrestone is the best Formula 1 race in the world." and "The British Grand Prix started it all." And other finger-lickin' nausea. Good gawd.
In the meantime, almost no-one is commenting on what an ass-kickingly-awesome race it was at Silverstone. If you don't like that, you don't like racing.