Max Verstappen achieved his first podium of the year in Canada. Behind Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton, he crossed the finish line in third place. Nevertheless, the Dutchman continued to push for changes in the regulations afterwards. According to him, the proposed adjustments by the FIA are ‘the minimum’ needed to bring the sport back to the desired level. After his 24-hour debut at the Nürburgring, he longs for ‘pure’ racing.
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“I don’t want to sound too negative after my podium, but I know what it feels like to have natural races and pure overtaking maneuvers,” Verstappen said in the official FIA press conference. “I experienced that myself last week,” he referred to his Nürburgring outing. “Coming back to Formula 1… ultimately these are some of the best drivers in the world, so even in rental cars we could put on a very spectacular show,” he joked. “That’s not the problem.”
‘Fans have no idea’
“At the moment, it all just feels very confusing,” he continued seriously. “Besides, the fans have no idea what we are all dealing with inside the car. What we have now simply goes against driving and racing, and that’s not what Formula 1 is about,” he emphasized. “I hope we get a 60/40 split next year, because that should help. At the same time, that really is the minimum.” He also wanted to downplay his final result in Canada. “Russell retired and McLaren messed up their race with a bad strategy – of course, that works in our favor.”
The four-time world champion sowed uncertainty about his future in the sport again this weekend. If the proposed changes are not accepted, he may not fulfill his Red Bull contract. That he has also developed a passion for other motorsport categories became clear when he entered the press conference. With a Red Bull colleague, he watched footage of the recent Indy 500; the famous race also took place this weekend.
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Brilliant podium
Verstappen shared the podium with Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton. The young Italian was out of reach in Canada, but with his old rival, he fought a nice duel in the final phase for second place. “It was amazing, I really enjoyed it,” Verstappen said about the battle. “In the last laps, I tried to overtake him once more – we both went full throttle. That was really very good.” Hamilton also enjoyed it. “It’s always great to fight with one of the greatest racers ever,” he complimented the Dutchman.
Finally, Verstappen was asked if he has any advice for Antonelli. The 19-year-old driver has now won four Grands Prix in a row and – due to Russell’s retirement – drastically increased his lead in the World Championship. “The season is still long, but it’s clear that he (Antonelli, ed.) knows what he has to do,” the Limburger replied.
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