An angry and frustrated Max Verstappen complained on the radio throughout the 2024 Formula 1 Hungarian GP, spewing venom about his car and the men on the pit wall, even arguing with his track engineer who accused him of being “childish”. A frustration that also led him to force his hand on the track, risking injury and throwing the entire race away.
In the Formula 1 Hungarian GP 2024after three and a half years of domination, Max Verstappen he realized that Red Bull is no longer the best car on the grid. A situation he was no longer used to and that not only caused him great frustration (as demonstrated by the angry radio teams were on stage throughout the race addressed to all the men of the Austrian stable wall) but it also brought to the surface those old defects that now seemed only a distant memory, that is losing your head and risk throwing away the entire race when you have to face unexpected difficulties.
The three-time world champion in fact He expected that with the new package of updates introduced this weekend, his RB20 would once again be the car to beat and instead he already realized in qualifying that it would not be like that since the two McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri (respectively poleman and runner-up in qualifying, second and first in the race) are even better than his Red Bull. And those two punches he landed on the wheel of his car at the end of qualifying seemed to be a fairly convincing indication of the fact that having seen his expectations disappointed has caused him enormous frustration.
It is therefore inevitable that, even more so after having annoyed the team by having spent Saturday night in the simulator to race the virtual 24 Hours of Spa, In the race, a tiny spark would have been enough to make the Red Bull powder keg explode and send into a frenzy what is now unanimously considered the best driver of the lot. And so it was.
Verstappen stays up late the night before the Hungarian GP: Red Bull knows everything but says nothing
In fact, right from the start of the race the Dutchman began to publicly complain about the car, its balance and its difficulties in braking. with tones and words that were not at all conciliatory. A continuous complaint with his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase who tried several times to calm him down, but without success. Max Verstappen’s frustration increased lap after lap and so his team radios became more and more poisonous: “This is the f*****g machine you gave me! I do what I can“.
And as the laps went by, it became increasingly clear that he was no match for the McLarens for the top two positions, his frustration gradually increased also taking it out on other figures on the team considered untouchable such as strategist Hannah Schmitz: “No, don’t make fun of me now. You gave me this sh*tty strategy, okay? I’m trying to save what’s left. Shit!” was in fact the brutal response he gave to his track engineer who had ironically pointed out that he was not following the instructions given to him previously (“Here is a gentle introduction (of the tires, ed.)” Lambiase had in fact sarcastically said).
The frustration thus increases even more and Max Verstappen pushes his Red Bull to the limit to pass Leclerc and Hamilton who, having pitted before him, had exploited the undercut to steal his position. After having passed, with difficulty but without a hitch, the Ferrari driver, the three-time world champion he found himself having to deal with his old rival Lewis Hamilton who, with a masterly defensive action, managed to keep him behind for several laps, making him nervous to the point of sending him into a frenzy, so much so that he tried to surprise him in turn 1 by braking well beyond the apex.
However, things did not go as he had hoped. his Red Bull hitting the British driver’s Mercedes, gliding in the air and then landing in the correct position but far off the track. A maneuver which therefore it will then cost the Dutchman another position at the checkered flag where he passed in fifth place (and also a hearing before the FIA Stewards an hour after the end of the race who could therefore also impose penalties on him).
At that point here it is continues his complaints on the radio accusing Hamilton of having moved while braking (a way to try to exonerate himself from possible actions by the Stewards) but causing the harsh reaction from his own pit wall with his track engineer Gianpiero Lambiase who, tired of the pilot’s numerous outbursts, accused him of being a child: “I’m not even going to argue with the other teams on the radio, Max. We’ll let the marshals do their job. It’s childish on the radio. Childish!” in fact commented the man on the Red Bull pit wall, tired of his driver’s behaviour.
From there silence until the finish line with Max Verstappen who, however, also After the checkered flag, he did not miss the opportunity to show all his anger and frustration for the unexpected situation he found himself in at that Hungarian GP where he thought he would once again find himself with a dominant RB20 or at least at the level of the McLarens. Lambiase in fact warned him that, following the accident with Hamilton, as soon as he got out of the car he would be visited by the circuit’s medical delegate to ensure he had not suffered any consequences from the impact. The three-time world champion’s response, however, was once again full of anger: “We can send the medical delegate to the stewards office so he can take a look at them! I’m fine” in fact concluded Max Verstappen who evidently did not take this harsh return to reality well.
Source: www.fanpage.it
