Verstappen Ready to "Headbutt" Critics...

[Paul Jeffrey]

Red Bull superstar Max Verstappen feels ready to "headbutt" his critics following a somewhat troubled start to his 2018 Formula One season.

With a year that initially promised so much already descending into an uncomfortable spiral of mistakes and accidents, Max Verstappen is finding himself under increasing exposure and spotlight from the world press, something the 20-year-old Dutchman is finding rather tiresome as the Formula One circus heads to the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.

"You know, I get really tired of all the comments of me that I should change my approach," said Verstappen.

"I will never do that because it has brought me to where I am right now, and after the race it is not the right time to talk.

"Everybody who has those comments, I don't listen to it anyway. I just do my own thing.

"Of course the beginning of the year so far, it hasn't been going that well and not in the way that I liked it. A few mistakes, especially Monaco and China, but it doesn't make sense to keep talking about it because I get really tired of it.

"Like I said I get a bit tired of all the questions. If I get a few more I will headbutt someone."
​

Despite a very difficult start to the opening races of the 2018 Grand Prix season, most spectacular of which was the inter-team accident with Daniel Ricciardo in Baku, Verstappen seems to be in fine form at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, the Red Bull driver having ended both of the opening practice sessions in top spot, an impressive performance from a team a driver that expected to struggle thanks to the perceived power defect from their Renault power units against the likes of Ferrari and AMG Mercedes.

Following yet another accident in FP3 at Monaco, Red Bull Team Principle Christian Horner suggested the youngster would benefit from a change of approach going forward:

“He needs to go away from this weekend and reflect on what could have been, what should have been, and apply that for the future,” said Horner. “I think he has a very good teacher in the car next door to him.

“Max has an abundance of talent. He's had some harsh lessons, obviously, this year and I think a modified approach will benefit him".
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Do you think Verstappen should modify his driving style to achieve better results in Formula One, or is the way the Dutchman approaches his racing exactly what Grand Prix racing needs in this sterilised world of the corporate kings?

Let us know below!

 

[Juwe]

"Like I said I get a bit tired of all the questions. If I get a few more I will headbutt someone." - Sounds very professional

 

[elloLeo Kinnunen]

At least this counts as warning someone before he will crash into them. Glad to see that Max is maturing and learning from his mistakes!

 

[keto95]

I think Verstappen underestimates the power of the public opinion. It's voiced by the journalists and social media which can make him or break him, but he's too hardheaded and immature to understand. He may be quick, but he's a poor racer in terms of clean racing. For now they let him get away with it because RedBull has currently no replacement for him, but times will change if this continues. All of the journalists' questions are due to his own errors, so he should be more humble towards his audience, but as long as people in his near surroundings keep telling him how brilliant he is (which he's not!), then nothing changes and his F1 career will probably go up in smoke. If that happens then I can't feel sorry for him. He's a top athlete who performs of a top level of motorsport and he should start to deliver; time to learn is over.

 

[Sky]

A headbutt is just like crashing without a car.

 

[UMC 22]

That headbutt comment along with those where he refuses to change just shows his complete lack of maturity. When he grows up he'll probably be one of the best drivers out there. Until then, he's just a brat in fancy car. Wake up bud, or your career won't last very long.

 

[pcraenme]

If you watch the press conference carefully, and also if you were able to see the extended interview before with Max on Dutch TV, you can clearly see that this was meant as a joke, but a lot of people are blowing this up, just because Max is an easy target for the press and social media atm. And yes, he also made clear that he is tired about getting these same negative questions all the time. And if I may compare this with Vettel hitting Hamilton intentially on track last year at Baku, I wonder who is the more mature driver here?

 

[Patrick van der Meulen]

Haha, salty AF @Paul Jeffrey . Did you even watched the whole uncut press conference or are you only what you’ve read in all the “objective” media? Especially Daily Mail in this case . Context is always king. Especially when you watch the part from 8:35 ‘till 9:15.

Axl Rose already sung it in the past. We judge a book by it’s cover and read what we want between selected lines.

Once people are on their holy crusade against their “antichrist” (Verstappen in this case) they seems to go nuts on everything with their “antichrist” involved. And in this case just a cynical joke Verstappen made. Good luck and have fun with the holy quest . Just stay as salty as always.

Meanwhile I take this route:

Cheers!

 

[Richard Dastardly]

Doesn't matter if it's a joke, he really does need a couple of years to mature. Give him a test seat, he's meant to be good at that - that might stamp his ego down a bit as well - and loan him out as a driver somewhere else so he can keep his confidence & experience ( SuperGT? that'll keep him out of the euro press too ) and then shove him back in a F1 seat when he's grown up. Otherwise this is going to be another broken driver & wasted talent.

 

[Farrow_21]

I honestly think f1 fans are getting way to sensitive if they think a little love tap between VET & HAM Was really that bad or as i hear all the time "the most disgraceful thing ever" It's always brought up as if it's some smoking gun. Sure maybe immature, most racing drivers are at least somewhat. But not my point People just need to grow some thicker skin.

 

[wombat999]

If you watch the press conference carefully, and also if you were able to see the extended interview before with Max on Dutch TV, you can clearly see that this was meant as a joke, but a lot of people are blowing this up, just because Max is an easy target for the press and social media atm. And yes, he also made clear that he is tired about getting these same negative questions all the time. And if I may compare this with Vettel hitting Hamilton intentially on track last year at Baku, I wonder who is the more mature driver here?

None of the above.
It is about Verstappen making a stupid remark, maybe couched as a 'joke', without thinking that it will be taken out of context. He should engage his brain before opening his mouth, making a (supposedly) joke can (as here) boomerang and bite him firmly on the bum. By know he should realise that ANY slightly off colour remark will be seized upon by the media and the unwashed public. I'm not a fan but I do recognise Verstappen as a very talented driver, unfortunately one who is immature and thus flawed.
So Max, just STFU and concentrate on driving.

 

[Enagee]

Indeed he was joking. But he also has an arrogant attitude and that's why he's getting stick from people and press. A bit of humbleness like Riccardo will help him go a long way.

You can afford to be arrogant once you got to the top.....or at least when you're having good races. If not stay humble and you won't get all this from people.

 

[pcraenme]

Hmmm... arrogant attitude... at least none of the other drivers (current and history) have that 'quality'. But some people don't accept it from Max because they throw in the 'age thing' all the time. But maybe if he is some years older, and hopefully has won some more races and has won a WC once, it becomes acceptable to be(come) arrogant.

 

[mrbungle83]

Don't get me wrong, i don't actually want him to headbutt someone but i love the fire in his belly, like the good old days again when the drivers would want to beat the out of each other after an accident. Seeing him compete for a championship would be a so entertaining. Gotta love his teammate too lets hope RB get a competitive car that would light up F1.

 

[Stefan Woudenberg]

I was already worried... where is this weeks anti max threat.. but here it is

 

[Robert_S]

he is a noob , he must be banned out from Formula 1

 

[ronald kasteel]

If you watch the press conference carefully, and also if you were able to see the extended interview before with Max on Dutch TV, you can clearly see that this was meant as a joke, but a lot of people are blowing this up, just because Max is an easy target for the press and social media atm. And yes, he also made clear that he is tired about getting these same negative questions all the time. And if I may compare this with Vettel hitting Hamilton intentially on track last year at Baku, I wonder who is the more mature driver here?

ofcourse its going to blow up they love to take someone down on his own words then afterwards cheering when he ****s up, see he is a crashtappen after all .

the kid made 2 mistakes and everybody is counting 6 but hey lets bring the kid down.
He is ofcourse going to be fine tuning his style like every rider does troughout his career .
all this whining about a kid thats only 20 givin us races like the greatest out there bringing back the best memories of F1 again then makes a mistake here and there because he is the driver that he is up to this point in his life
.its tragic to see all those simply minded people that if they talked like that in real life they would have been brought down and sit on the kicking chair because thats how social systems works please oooh pleasee look in the mirror, everybody make mistakes and u learn from it .

buts its easier to say he ****s up he is cocky has an answer for everything cant stand the kid .
well grow the f up ,ur not him never will be .

GO MAXIE

and yes my grammar is shite

 

[keto95]

the kid made 2 mistakes and everybody is counting 6 but hey lets bring the kid down.

Only 2 mistakes? Here's a post from someone who summed it up for you:

https://www.racedepartment.com/thre...m-back-of-the-grid.151940/page-4#post-2756769

I think you better learn to count.

 

[Patrick van der Meulen]

ofcourse its going to blow up they love to take someone down on his own words then afterwards cheering when he ****s up, see he is a crashtappen after all .

Guess that’s a typical UK tabloid mentality. Witch hunt and damaging persons became the standard. Except when it comes to the decades spanning countless cases of child abuse. Then all media must suppress free speech. Total lack of any self-reflection.

So far the integrity of UK media .

 

[muzikant]

Stop the bullshit about Maxi... media.... hype... and haters. And why this article on Racedepartment?? If Max doing a good race is there a article?? article : ROFLMAO:....... nobody says what only if he do things wrong. Everybody knows what Max can do on a track.... critism or anxious by fan boys
..
Most of the time... Vettel... Hamilton and Raikonnen boys.. and Ricardo lovers. Max need
Some good races and everybody is quiet. Every sporter athlete have sometimes moments that it is not going well. That is a normal process. I hope he can break this and do some old school Max things this weekend in Montreal. Lets rain and you see