AUGUST 23, 2016 Spa promoter thrilled with F1 ticket sales The race promoter is heralding almost unprecedented interest in this weekend's Belgian grand prix. Andre Mas, organiser of the fabled Spa-Francorchamps race, told La Derniere Heure newspaper that he is delighted with ticket sales as F1 emerges from its summer break. The ticket boost for 2016 is almost certainly due to the popularity and form of F1 teen sensation Max Verstappen, who is Dutch but was actually born in Hasselt, Belgium, just an hour's drive from Spa. "70,000 tickets have already been sold," Mas told the French-language Belgian newspaper. "I have not seen it since 2001, 2002. And I'm talking about actual numbers - three-day tickets. It's not like some other large events on which I worked for some years where there was a great difference between the actual number of tickets sold and the official figures," he added. La Derniere Heure said general admission tickets are still being sold for the race weekend, increasing spectator numbers even more to at least 75,000.
AUGUST 31, 2016 No bodyguards for Verstappen at Monza says manager Max Verstappen's manager has denied reports the Dutch teenager might be wise to take precautions ahead of the Italian grand prix. After the first-corner clash at Spa, the on-track battles with Kimi Raikkonen and then Sebastian Vettel's post-race comments, Verstappen said the Ferrari-clad duo should be "ashamed". "I think he shouldn't tell anyone where he's staying in Monza," Bild newspaper quotes Red Bull team boss Christian Horner as saying. "There could be a lot of unhappy Italian fans," he added. And the other top Red Bull official, Dr Helmut Marko, said: "I think Max is a red rag to Ferrari. I hope they calm down." But Verstappen's manager Raymond Vermeulen told the same German newspaper: "We don't need to hide. "We also don't need bodyguards. Max has moved on and we look forward to Monza," he added. But Verstappen's race at Spa last weekend has fired a major controversy, with the F1 paddock split over whether he is reckless or simply good for the sport. Jan Lammers, a former Dutch F1 driver, thinks Verstappen caused much of the raucous with his angry post-race reaction to the criticism. "Until now he surprised everyone with his mature attitude, but remember he's only 18 years old," he told De Telegraaf newspaper. "Max is a stone in the formula one pond and these are the ripples," Lammers added. "Not everyone loves that he upsets the established order." Another former F1 driver, Pierluigi Martini, also hailed the youngster's impact on F1. "I wish there were more like him," he told Marca sports newspaper. "He has managed to cause a stir and that is good for formula one. People are tired of rules and judges and although the other drivers criticise him, he has become an idol for the young."
I wish crazy sh*t didn't have to happen to have an interesting and exciting race. I like good stick play rather than fights in hockey... I like racing as opposed to crashing in F1. When I see a top contender sitting sideways halfway through turn one, it just pisses me off. Doesn't matter who it is. Hopefully Max will watch the video a few more times and accept as most have that what he did maybe isn't a violation of the rules, but certainly not smart driving. I'd love a clean race in Monza.
+1 With everything Max did thus far he got away lucky. He had blokes swearing at him but the maximum damage for him was loosing a flap now in Spa (and apparently some floor damage). Once his luck runs out and he will sit on top of his front with like Rosberg did in Austria or once he will find himself on the back of a scooter on the way back to the pits he will learn it can cost him dearly.
Or at the back of an ambulance perhaps ... Verstappen shouldn't push his luck; there maybe a brutal wake-up call one day for his antics on the track.
Absolutely agree chaps. Ruins the race for everyone when three of the four fastest qualifiers are relegated to the back through a stupid series of moves
An interesting article from Motorsport about Verstappen, making references to the past . Opinion: Max Verstappen needs to learn he cant win every battle Opinion: Max Verstappen needs to learn he can?t win every battle Max Verstappen is starting to sound a lot like Ayrton Senna, as his aggressive driving tactics border on the very limit of what's acceptable. As an aside, if young Max makes his moves in expectation that others will yield to avoid contact, he may well find someone not willing to do that one day.
I'd like to think so, but Elton does exactly the same moves, and no one seems to have the balls to stop him at the moment. If it was bikes back in my day he (and me too if necessary) would be in the hay bales if he tried to force me off track.
Here's my FB post from after the race: ""Here is what really happened. Seb and Kimi spanked Max in his Red Bull with terrific starts. Max gets desperate and bolts for the inside. Seb turns in on the outside, expecting Kimi to do the same, and leaves room for his car. Trouble is, Max has forced his car into too small a space, drives up on the curb, all 4 wheels off! (Grid penalty) So Kimi holds his line, Seb hits him and Max hits him on the other side. Payback is a bi+@#! Seb and Kimi pass him again later but he makes several dangerous moves that could get him black flagged. The Ferraris were fast and we could have had a double podium. Both Danyl and Max are showing their inexperience. Danyl is already busted down to Toro rosso. They better cool it for Monza."" And interesting that both Danyl and Max "choked" in front of basically home crowds with massive turnout in support. But here, Max was visibly and undeniably spanked at the start. How many cars actually use the curb at La Source, even when alone by seconds? I think Vettel gave Kimi plenty of room but couldn't see Max through Kimi's car. Red flag? NO, Black Flag, goddamit. Senna? NO WAY!
Hamilton usually makes other moves, mainly from a position of strength, his Mercedes backing up his cocky nature. And by far the most against Rosberg, squeezing being his trademark move.
generally agreed. Max' outer wheels were still within the white line, though, and also things tend to get squeezed at the start. So I wouldn't even ask for a penalty, had he chosen an even tighter line. It's the mess of a start after all. The difference, I think, is that Kvyat struggled under pressure all season. Max is fast and consistently so. The stuff he is criticized for is essentially over-ambition. Kvyat's shunts had a different taste that hinted on "misinterpretation" of situations. Time will tell.
The turn 1 incident ruined the race for 3 people at least. Ferrari paid a heavy price for a foolhardy move that had no chance to succeed. That's what p*ss me off most of all. Young Max reacting by swerving on the track to prevent being overtaken is a sign of immaturity, IMO. Using the media to accuse others of your own mistake after you launched a kamikaze move also a sign of childishness. The stewards were lame at Spa; Jacques Villeneuve is right on that account.
We like a quick driver, not a hare-brained one. I still reserve my judgement about Max; will he become a driver I like to watch, or one from whom you can expect foul play all the time. The arrogance displayed on and OFF the track after the race was rather alarming.
OK, I didn't get to review the video. Senna made his dive at Suzuka with brilliant acumen, braking hard and late. It is a low speed corner, like La Source and cornering speed is not critical. Prost clearly turned in early after leaving the door open and slashed Sennas car out of spite. Senna's wheels were NOT on the curb and the contact happened before the apex. My point is that both Max and Danyl are young. Danyl had many problems over time and hit Vettel often. Max had a good few races but succumbed to the same pressure, even more so by a clear failure at the start, and massive turnout from fans. I think young drivers would be wise to swallow their pride and take a setback at the outset of the race and try again in a later corner when the squeeze is stretched out. He may have out qualified Vettel but sometimes the strategy is to save the engine for the race. Like in Montreal if the tire choice was better for that ridiculous winter cold. I was there! If the car is capable, you can make the pass. In this case both Vettel and Kimi passed him, again!
I have no real problems with the first lap contact. He took a risk, lost out...it happens to all of them, youngers, experienced guys, world champions and multiple world champions. I purely take issue with his reaction afterwards, even after the red flag situation. With the mindset he had (''I'd rather push them off'') what would happen if Kimi/Vettel would've gone for an overtake in eau rouge, where earlier in the race a HUGE accident occured? Would max have stubbornly not compromised and forced another to crash?
Finally we found someone who really knows what happened. Your being very prejudiced in your comments while making a lot of assertions. And one thing you fail to see in your comparison between Verstappen and Kvyat is that Verstappen is very controlled and directed in his moves/attitude (right or wrong), whereas in Kvyat case it was pretty uncontrolled and clumsy.
OK Ypsilon, don't get excited. I'm not sure what you mean by prejudiced? Max has driven very well and I was shocked to see him make that first move onto the curb. Even more so on the long straights. The pro commentators had similar reactions. Bob Varsha called the first corner with Max's wheels "all 4 off." I hear that wasn't exactly the case. If you like Max and are rooting for him, I don't hate him at all. In fact I think both Hobbs and Matchett said Vettel turned in when he had all kinds of track to the left. But I don't think Seb saw Max or figured he would try to fit on the curb. Max is a good driver but let desperation cloud his judgement after the bad start and forced him into "Danyl" territory. Max is better than Danyl. But Max was clearly beat at the start. It all follows from there and explains everything. Nico drove for the horizon. And no one on NBCSN or elsewhere really said anything about how Max had a bad start. It's there on video.
In that case, I would explain Kvyat because he is less talented, and blame Verstappen for causing havoc deliberately.
To his credit, Verstappen tries new moves. Sometimes they're spectacular and sometimes they come off badly - the La Source incident was unfortunately the latter. I do think he defends late and sometimes moves under braking, which are safety issues, so he needs a bit of driver development there. What is undeniable is that he's amazingly fast. He just needs tempering in a few areas, but that's what'll happen as he gains experience. All the best, Andrew.
