Max Verstappen: One of the greatest of all times

Shades of the lyrics in the old Linda Ronstadt song: “Poor, poor pitiful me.”

As reflected in today’s culture of the “They’re all out to get me” victimization syndrome.

 

When he doesn't throw on-track tantrums because he doesn't get to win today, and collide on purpose with two different drivers, of course.

 

The biggest differentiator is the pre-meditation. With George’s move, that contact wasn’t pre-mediated. But Max’s revengeful contact into George most assuredly was.

 

Absolutely

Yep

 

He was right that Leclerc strangely drove into the side of him on the straight. But that doesn't warrant a penalty or to give the position back.

 

While a dive bomb and tactic to drive another off the track could be considered as pre-mediated, it's still not the same as deliberately making contact. Max definitely went over the line and it's why I think it was a clear cut penalty.

 

I wouldn't say Max plays the victim card. I'm sure he recognizes the bias and is aware of labeling he gets from the likes of Netflix and Skysports. The facts are the facts. We the fans of F1 and/or Verstappen talk about it.

One could argue that Max has thicker skin than any other driver. He gets spat on every week and he keeps doing his own thing. Even when he messes up and takes a beating in the media, he still shows up the next race and gives his best.

 

Not to rehash a topic which has already been beaten and debated ad infinitum, but the HEIGHT OF BIAS was Abu Dhabi 2021 when Michael Masi took it upon himself to on-the-fly to spontaneously alter the oft-established final restart procedure under the guise of finishing under green at all costs (i.e. invoking a sort of ‘force majeure’ rationale). That was the Sporting Crime of the Century.

 

Max didn't and shouldn't have to give the place back to Russell in T5.

RedBull screwed the pooch by telling Max to give the place back.

 

True, but, on a different topic, that "escape road" layout was a definite advantage to use -- Hulkenberg made up about five place at the start. Drivers should've been begging other Drivers to force them on to it.

 

Woulda, coulda, shoulda, doesn't excuse him for throwing the toys out of the cot and driving into Russell.. penalty deserved!

 

^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^^

 

Russell drove into Max at T1. No penalty.

Leclerc drove into Max in the straight. No penalty.

Max and Russell collide in T5. Max penalty with 10sec and 3pts added to Max's superlicense.

 

Russell had unloaded aero at the time and was trying to keep his car under control as the back end stepped out. Not deliberate. Racing incident.

Leclerc and Verstappen both drifted towards each other. Racing incident.

Max deliberately rammed Russell in T5. I would have shown him the black flag and given him super license penalty points. A 10-second time penalty for a deliberate ramming is pretty damn lenient.

Verstappen is an immense talent, but a petulant child when he's not out front cruising to a "lovely" victory.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Max was frustrated with his team:

1) Giving him a bad choice of tires(the only fresh hard tire).
2) Ordering Max to give the place back to Russell WHICH Max was in the right and argued to Lambiase that Russell ran into him at T1 and forced him off the road.

Max isn't the only F1 driver to loose his "calmness and compiser" when several issues don't go your way.

There are many F1 drivers that have a degree of "meltdown" and some of those are WDC title holders.

Ramming is such a melodramatic word when both cars were axle-to-axle at T5. No damage to either car.

 

A proper reaction from the stewards would've been a DSQ and being forced to start from the pitlane in Canada.

I've defended Max, but he's showing not just immaturity at this point, or dirty driving. It's pure anger control issues. When he gets flustered, he starts using his car as an outlet for his anger, and that's what I'm concerned about.

Red Bull need to get him under control.

 

Just stop.

Max made a mistake on the restart, and lost his composure. In the first contact between him and Russel, he cut the course, and gained an advantage. He needed to give the place back, pure and simple. But he didn't know how to control his anger in the moment, and rammed into Russell as an act of defiance. If it was Ham at Mercedes, you'd be calling for a race ban, and we all know it.

There is no defending Max in this instance. Yes, all drivers get upset on the radio, but Max is currently all one that starts darting around the track erratically when something goes against him. I've defended him for a long time, but he's got anger control issues that are making their way into his driving, and it's unacceptable.

 

That's a negative on Max cutting T1 with the incident with Russell and having to give the place back.

I have and can post the stewards investigation of the 1st incident with Max and Russell where it was a racing incident and MAX DIDN'T HAVE TO GIVE THE PLACE BACK.

Would you like to see it?

 

Largely, I agree with your thoughts on T5 but the T1 incident was just a racing incident.

I think it would have been fine to keep the place, as Russell was never really under control to have had it cleanly in the first instance. I think if he'd gotten by Verstappen in that way, there's a chance Russell would have had to hand it back to Verstappen.

The T5 incident was red mist stuff which correctly required punishment - I just think the FIA stewards were too lenient.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Racing incident, yes. But Max gained an advantage, pure and simple. He needed to give up the position. I saw it with my own eyes, and so did everybody else.

I can see you're committed to standing by Max, so there's not much point in me continuing to go around with you.

I've praised Max's skills since I arrived on this forum, and I defended him in Abu Dhabi 21'. But his out of line with his latest stunts. The only driver in the top of the field he's yet to have a major incident with is Leclerc, and I'm pretty that's coming next.

 

I would, do please post that.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Indeed, it was a racing incident, but I've always stuck by the principle that when a driver cuts the course, he gains an advantage, and he needs to yield the position.

Even Red Bull knew Max was going to get a 5 sec penalty if he didn't give up the place. Ironically, had Max just kept his cool, and given Russel the position, he'd have easily gotten it back, and might have gotten Leclerc too.

 

Max was forced off by Russell into T1 because Russell HIT Max hence why Max went off into the drive thru into T1 and rejoined back onto the track.

 

Apparently, Red Bull read the T1 incident wrongly if there was a steward investigation into it that concluded the place didn't need to be given up by Verstappen. I'm keen to see @jgonzalesm6's post on it.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Here ya go Andrew.

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