Verstappen’s Aggression Under Scrutiny as Title Battle Heats Up
Oct.30 - Two prominent figures in Formula 1 believe Max Verstappen will ease his controversial wheel-to-wheel style for the decisive last four grands prix of 2024.
After the championship leader strategically beat title rival Lando Norris to the apex in their Austin stoush, running the overtaking McLaren off the track, it was Norris who received the 5-second penalty.
But in Mexico, in what some regard as similar incidents, it was Red Bull's Verstappen who was punished - with not one but two 10-second penalties, and also two penalty points against his F1 super license.
When Franco Colapinto was told on the radio about Verstappen's penalties, the Williams rookie replied: "20 second penalty? My God, what has he done?"
Verstappen, 27, left Mexico insisting that he would not tweak his driving style going forwards. And now, days ahead of the Brazilian GP, the Dutchman's father Jos told f1-insider.com: "max should just carry on driving as he has been doing.
"I reminded him that Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher were also often subjected to harsh criticism from England," Verstappen senior added. "He is in very good company there."
However, former Haas team boss Gunther Steiner thinks the severity of the Mexican GP penalties will require Verstappen to tweak his style.
"We all know Max and the way he drives," he told Eurosport France. "I have a lot of respect for the way he looks for the limits of what is acceptable.
"In Austin, he said 'There are no limits for me - I'll just keep attacking'. I don't blame Max for that. I would rather blame the lack of a penalty in Austin.
"If he had had a 5-second penalty there, I'm sure he wouldn't have done what he did in Mexico. If he gets an advantage, he always uses it. Max is that kind of driver. But now in Mexico with a big penalty, it changes."
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff agrees.
"I think that was a really good stewards decision (in Mexico) because it will now be clear in the future that this dirty driving is no longer allowed," he told Osterreich newspaper.
"A horrendous penalty of 20 seconds is the right precedent to ensure that something like this doesn't happen again."
Wolff is also quoted as saying by Kleine Zeitung newspaper: "When you get away with something, that's the new limit. A driver will always push to the limit.
"We won't see anything like what we saw in Mexico again - a Max Verstappen who pushes other drivers off the race track in a duel," the Austrian predicts.
Wolff says the message from the FIA is clear: "Brake late and drive the other car off the track is no longer acceptable. No longer allowed. And that's good for the racing."
However, some experts and fans think that in a direct head-to-head for the championship, Norris is simply 'too nice' to beat a driver of Verstappen's attitude.
"In general, we could say yes - he is too nice," Steiner continued. "But I think Lando wants to race respectfully and fairly. Within the rules and nothing more.
"Norris could have crashed into Max once or twice, but it would not have helped him. But it also shows the kind of driver he is. He wants to show that he can do it fairly," Steiner added.
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Max has had this mental obsession of forcing off track whenever he faces a tough challenge from someone as a recurring theme more or less ever since 2016, which always reappears whenever he stops winning regularly.
He should really learn to leave space at corner exits when he's required by a rule regarding car length portion alongside or leave & do something else.
I hope Verstappen will 'meet' Alonso in a fight soon. He really hates it when another driver doesn't leave the space.
Likewise Hamilton they both fight fire with fire.
Hamilton was an incredibly aggressive driver (dirty) who caused many incidents and collisions when he was relevant.
Norris is unlikely to win the WDC this year so rather than keep giving way to MV when being forced off the track grow some gonads, hold your line and stay on the track. That's the only thing that'll make Verstappen back off a bit next year.
I have to agree with you. Hold your ground, if the SOB drives into you, give him a right-cross after the race - if the two of you even complete it ...
But you have the right idea.
The bias and intellectual dishonesty of people who don't like Max is stunning. That includes ALL of the British announcers who broadcast F1 races.
Hamilton more often involved in
racing incidents than Verstappen
https://racingnews365.com/who-is-involved-in-more-on-track-incidents-hamilton-or-verstappen
Since when was Max the only driver to pull that stunt. It has been a favorite tool of Dame Lulu's for ever. I mean, honestly, show me a driver that doesn't follow the racing line when exiting a corner. The Steward's (British, perhaps...?) have a hate-on for Max. 20 seconds in penalties is unheard of, and especially for the infractions against which they were assessed.
Watching F1 is getting to be a snore-fest - drivers can't drive anymore. Can't cross track "limits", no-contact allowed, racing-line = pushing someone off. FFS - when can they actually race.
Sorry to say, but racing isn't pretty. All these Stewards and Race Director's and all the Diva's, sorry - I meant drivers - tumble like a house of cards if anyone passes wind in their direction.
A lot of fuss about nothing in the media, every expert who has a column in a newspaper, writing what they think the public wants to read.
The British media the roughest on drivers,always have been in a sheep filled world, Im loving it, but as this years WdC is over, all this blah,blah about the wcc, I mean, do fans care, i certainly dont, its the drivers championship i follow, but whining,whinging drivers that ive had enough of, but again thats how it is, so move along nothing to see here,as Max is taking a new engine this weekend it should be a lot of fun
the wcc influences the wdc directly since gains on the former increases chances for the latter and vice versa.
absolutely, its just , i tune in for the races not to check the constructors table
Shropp, just a thought, why doesn't Lando try the overtake on Max along the straits rather than on the apexes surele by now the thick twit knows it's taboo to try the overtake on the apex.
without absolute knowledge , id just say i think its experience, Max just has more winning/fighting for the wins experience than Lando, the confidence of being a 3 times wdc must help him tremendously in all his superb race craft, looking back at 21, Laura just couldnt cope with Maxes style (if we can call it that) and basically lost in the fights, Is Lando good enough to be a WDC , yes but only once hes learnt how to fight and read the races as Max can, In my unbiased opinion obviously 😜
I think it was Masi’s style Lewis couldn’t cope with, Max was thoroughly beaten until Masi succumbed to Intimidation from Red Bull management, threw the race and Was sacked as a result. In my equally unbiased opinion based on facts of course.😇
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