OCTOBER 24, 2017 Verstappen in trouble for calling steward idiot Max Verstappen could be in trouble for insulting an FIA steward. A controversy erupted when the Dutchman was penalised for his exciting last-lap pass on Kimi Raikkonen for the Austin podium. The Red Bull driver's father Jos was particularly furious, declaring on Twitter that the FIA should stand for 'Ferrari International Assistance'. But Max himself also let his fury rip. "I feel robbed," Sport Bild quotes him as saying. Verstappen, 20, accused one steward in particular - believed to be Australian Garry Connelly - of always penalising him for overtakes. "He's an idiot who always decides against me," he said. "I hope the fans don't like the decision and don't come back next year," Verstappen said before leaving Austin. Now, British and German media sources report that the FIA could look into whether Verstappen's criticism of the steward brings the sport into disrepute. Red Bull boss Christian Horner doesn't think so. "If Lewis Hamilton is allowed to criticise the US president, then a frustrated driver is allowed to express his opinion," he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport. As for Verstappen's actual overtake, expert opinions are mixed. Some say it was clearly illegal, others think officialdom should butt out, and many argue that tracks should be modified so that breaching 'track limits' is not possible. And some pundits say the real problem is that only certain breaches of 'track limits' are penalised. F1 race director Charlie Whiting defended the Austin stewards' decision. "In all other cases where the drivers left the circuit, they went a longer distance. Max on the other hand cut the corner with all four wheels," he said.
It is obvious to everyone except the steward that Max had to take the shortcut to avoid Kimi turning into him. Watch the replay from on board in real time. Kimi turns in on max. Max is forced to tighten his line and goes off track for a very short time. The decision against him was a complete joke. He was robbed.
It wasn't obvious to me....but again, some would say it's obvious Hamilton is a goat...i do see some resemblances..haircut, speach, diet....just missing the horns...
The issue is Max and his father and their mouth. He should be looked at by the FIA. He is not the owner of F1 nor is Jos. Neither are good examples of how to deal with a decision they dont like. They are not the only ones who have suffered by calls that were not consistent.
+1 things are going well for him. He is not going to win a title this year and using that language makes him look ridiculous. World still turning. His father is a major part of the problem and needs to move on from micro-managing his life. He is useless.
The FIA certainly has to do something...obviously Seb came off the hook too easy to prevent others from the same outburst The FIA is in the critics for the regulations anyway, they can not afford also to loose the respect at the actual race events or nobody will take them serious anymore
Max has a right to be angry but stupid and insulting are not good ways to appear professional. I expect it from Jos he has a small anger management issue.....
Max has an issue with Garry Connelly. And for good reason. How he still is around I don't know. I don't think he or anyone really has an issue with the penalty, but the way they went on about it. Every single racing driver is firmly in the Verstappen camp, all with the same message: these runoffs are the big problem (and the penalties or lack of penalties that come with it). Put a gravel strip either side of the white line and this problem is solved immediately as that's a slower way round whichever way you look at it. I don't have an issue with the penalty either, he went off track to pass him, it's a shame as I think he had the space to move over some 30cm and still pass Kimi once he saw Max. But I agree with the other drivers, you can't penalize someone only when it suits them. Insulting Garry is the correct way to go about it. He's the same steward that in Suzuka last year lobbied Mercedes to protest the stewards decision not to penalize Verstappen (he was the only one that wanted a penalty for Verstappen). He's the same steward that in Mexico last year did not give Hamilton a penalty for cutting the corner and getting a huge advantage, but did decide to give Verstappen one for doing the same thing (except his advantage was far smaller. So I think Verstappen is absolutely correct that Garry has something against him, and absolutely right to call him an idiot. Jos...well. Always has been an arrogant guy but in some ways I appreciate him and his views. I don't often take him very serious as obviously he is biased to some degree.
Max can be better than he has been in public. His choice of words is not at all professional. He can have all the anger he wants and still deal with it professionaly. He is utterly wrong and gets no respect from me. The FIA have a good reason to look at him. The same way they looked at Vettel. Simple. Max is great but his father is terrible example of anger management and lack of class.
Max is a talented driver, for sure. However, he suffers from a poor upbringing. The lack of social grace is more and more obvious each day.
The team have a responsibility to inform their members how to conduct themselves on literally a world stage. Yes no one is perfect but the word idiot was not needed. Again was that the only Steward to judge or did all of them weigh in?
Why doesn't the FIA look into Connelly's calls and compare them to the other stewards? The stewards are not gods, eventhough some of them may think they are. All the stewards calls should be reviewed for biases, and if judged so, they should be removed immediately. Now, Max calling the guy an idiot was not the best thing to do, but Max is very blunt. In Austin, the steward should have called it immediately. Maybe when the race finished 30 seconds later, but not in the cool down room, just as they are going to the podium. They already knew as they had Kimi come up. Max should have been told immediately.
Can you imagine the complaints from Red Bull had Kimi done this. Its a joke and pathetic this all is. Horner would be on every electronic platform denouncing Ferrari. Max left the track. He was penalized. World turns. We are fortunate to have another race this weekend to complain about LOL
I disagree completely. Kimi was at the racing line and Max simply transformed a turn into a straight. He is a world champion go-kart driver and that maneuver is somewhat a common attempt in the last lap on go-karts, although also illegal if done with all the 4 wheels out of the track. Don't take me wrong, it was an awesome move and I wish he could maintain position but the rule is clear about it.
Liberty is a media entity. This authentic outcry from F1's most exciting driver is good news headlines for Liberty. James Hunt was somewhat stronger in his critiques
I spent some time with Max and Jos back in his karting days and believe me, the kid is Madre Teresa Calcutta compared to his father.
I'm happy that the drivers who speak their minds freely to the world, do. It'd be pretty boring if they were each perfect PR machines.
Max has raced from Abu Dhabi 2015 a total of 39 races and was given 5x a penalty (including one double in Abu Dhabi 2015). All from Connelly. In the 28 races Connelly wasn't a Steward Verstappen never got a penalty. Connelly was a Steward in 11 races. Max finished 8 off them. From those 8 races he got 5 times a penalty from Connelly
