After a rocky start to the Formula 1 weekend in Qatar, Max Verstappen redeemed himself with an impressive performance during qualifying and a commanding race victory. Despite these successes, Verstappen’s weekend was marred by a penalty and lingering frustration with George Russell.
On Saturday, Verstappen secured the fastest time in qualifying but was handed a grid penalty for allegedly impeding Russell during the third qualifying session. The complaint by Russell resulted in him being awarded pole position. Even after his victory, Verstappen expressed dissatisfaction with the British driver.
“I hold respect for many drivers, but I lost it for him after last night. I found it ridiculous how he pushed for me to get penalized. I was furious with him,” Verstappen stated in an interview with Viaplay. “He acts polite on camera, but behind the scenes, he’s a different person. I can’t stand that. If that’s the case, you might as well leave.”
“Never Experienced This Before”
During the post-race press conference, Verstappen elaborated on the penalty, calling it unprecedented. “I wasn’t happy about it at all. This has never happened before. I was simply trying to be considerate and not hinder anyone, yet I was punished for it.”
“I tried explaining my side, but it felt hopeless. It was strange, disappointing, and an unpleasant surprise. I’ve been in that room many times, but I’ve never seen someone treated this unfairly. I’ve lost all respect,” Verstappen reiterated.
Dominant Victory Despite Controversy
Despite the off-track tensions, Verstappen delivered a stellar performance on race day. In the opening stages, he engaged in a tight battle with Lando Norris. “The first stint was great. Lando and I were closely matched, so the focus was on avoiding mistakes,” Verstappen explained. This was a stark contrast to earlier in the weekend when he struggled with the Red Bull car.
The battle ended prematurely when Norris received a stop-and-go penalty for speeding under yellow flags. Verstappen commented on the incident, “I asked if he had lifted off the throttle because I noticed he was suddenly closing in. That’s a standard question.”
Chaos on the Track
The yellow flags were prompted by an incident where Alexander Albon lost a mirror, which was then struck by Valtteri Bottas. The debris caused punctures for both Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton.
Oscar Piastri, who secured third place, criticized the race officials for their handling of the situation. “I saw the incident on the big screen. I believe a safety car or virtual safety car should have been deployed immediately. The response could have been much quicker.”
