Verstappen on radio rant backlash: I say what I want

Max Verstappen has responded to the backlash he received for his radio outbursts at the Hungarian Grand Prix, stating he will say “what he wants”.

Championship leader Verstappen became increasingly frustrated last Sunday and tangled with Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages, which dropped him down to fifth.

Verstappen, who is set to take a 10-grid place penalty at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, was criticised for his language on the radio and the way he talked to engineer Gianpiero Lambiase – but has defended his actions.

“People that don’t like my language, don’t listen in or change the volume down. I’m very driven to succeed. I’ve proven that already,” said Verstappen.

“I always want to optimise stuff. People can argue that you might not be so vocal on the radio, but that’s their opinion.

“My opinion is that it needs to be said at the time to maybe also try and force that the second bits would have been a bit different. That’s how it goes.

“We are very open-minded. We are very critical of each other as a team, and that’s been working for us very well, so I don’t expect that to change.”

When asked that other drivers don’t speak to their team how he does, Verstappen responded: “That’s our approach. It’s important that you can be critical. In this world we live in now, I think a lot of people can’t take criticism very well like it used to be and I don’t want to end up like that.”

Verstappen and Lambiase have experienced a very straightforward relationship, with the pair working together since the Dutchman joined Red Bull in 2016.

The three-time world champion pointed out that he is quick to praise the team when they do well but also when he’s not happy with something, as he did in Hungary.

Verstappen also thinks F1 is unique because everyone can hear what a driver says on the radio, whereas other sports don’t have that level of access.

“In other sports, people say things but they don’t have a mic attached to their mouth,” he explained.

“But I don’t care. I say what I want. That’s our sport as well. You are communicating with the pit wall.

“In other sports, maybe you swear about stuff you didn’t like or a team-mate didn’t pass the ball and you call them whatever, but there is no mic. That’s just our sport I guess.”

No more sim races for Verstappen this season

Verstappen was also criticised for taking part in the iRacing Spa 24 Hours until 3am on Sunday morning ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko revealed Verstappen had agreed to not compete in sim races on the night before a race, but the 26-year-old says there were no more sim events planned for the rest of the year anyway.

“I said you don’t need to worry because there are no more races coming up. It’s not that I have a ban or whatever. I don’t tell them what they do in their private time or during weekends, and that’s the same to me,” said Verstappen.

“I raced until 3am, it’s not something new. For me, it’s something that’s very important in my life but there are no other sim races coming up anyway.

“When you lose the race, you will always blame, ‘Oh you were staying up until 3am’ or ‘You were 1kg overweight’. There are always things to make up or argue about.

“For example, in Imola, I won both of the races. For me, this is nothing new. I’ve been doing this since 2015. So for me, this is not something that is any different in my progression.

“I’ve won three World Championships. I think I know pretty well, what I can and what I cannot do. I’m always very hard on myself, what is allowed and isn’t allowed. I think with all the experience that I have in Formula 1, I think I know quite well what’s possible.”

Damage limitation for Verstappen in Belgium

For a third consecutive year, Verstappen is set to take a grid penalty at Spa-Francorchamps due to going over the limit for power unit elements.

Verstappen’s car will be fitted with a fifth engine, taking him over the limit of four for the season, so he will receive a 10-grid place penalty and start no higher than 11th for Sunday’s race.

It will give Lando Norris another chance to reduce his 76-point deficit to Verstappen in the drivers’ championship.

“If you look at our last few races where we haven’t particularly been the fastest, I wouldn’t say that with 10 places extra, we have a chance of winning,” said Verstappen.

“But a race can always be turned upside down with moments, so you have to be open-minded, try to make the best of it and that’s all we will try to do.

“We also don’t know how competitive we will be. There’s new tarmac, so we need to see how the tyres respond to that as well.

“There’s a lot of unknowns with the weather too. Quite a bit of rain is expected tomorrow and Saturday, so we need to follow the weather and our progression this weekend to see how competitive we are.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Belgian GP schedule

Friday July 26
8.50am: F3 Practice
10am: F2 Practice
12pm: Belgian GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)
2pm: F3 Qualifying
2.55pm: F2 Qualifying
3.45pm: Belgian GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5:15pm: The F1 Show

Saturday July 27
8:45am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Belgian GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.15pm: Belgian GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Belgian GP Qualifying
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday July 28
7:25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.40am: Porsche Supercup
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – Belgian GP build-up*
2pm: The BELGIAN GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Belgian GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

The Formula 1 action continues this weekend with the final race before F1’s summer break, the Belgian Grand Prix. You can watch every session from Spa-Francorchamps live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

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