Max Verstappen sniped at criticism from British media pundits after putting himself on the cusp of his fourth consecutive world championship title with a masterclass to win the São Paulo Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Dutchman came back from 17th on the grid to take victory at Interlagos, while his title rival Lando Norris fell back from pole to finish sixth. The British driver had trailed by 44 points but is now 62 behind, with 86 remaining on the table. If Verstappen is 60 ahead after the next round in Las Vegas, then the Red Bull driver will be champion.
The victory was his first since June, and following recent feisty exchanges on track with Norris, Verstappen had been fiercely critiqued for his behaviour from the likes of former F1 drivers Damon Hill, Martin Brundle and Johnny Herbert.
Hill, who won the 1996 drivers’ championship, had compared him to the Wacky Races villain Dick Dastardly, while Brundle said the Dutch driver’s legacy was being “tainted” in the wake of his 20-second penalty in Mexico for forcing Norris off the road twice. Herbert, now an FIA steward, claimed Verstappen’s driving had been “harsh” and “over the top”.
Following his triumph in Interlagos, Verstappen said: “I have a quick question. I mean, I appreciate all of you being here, but I don’t see any British press. Do they have to run to the airport, or they don’t know where the press conference is?”
Verstappen also described his victory as “incredibly important” to the title fight as he had been expecting to see his lead reduced after Norris had secured pole from a delayed qualifying session. “My emotions today were a rollercoaster,” he added. “We stayed out of trouble, we made the right calls and we were flying.”
When asked about what he expects next, he said: “I just want clean races, that’s all. I am not thinking about clinching the championship in Vegas or whatever.”
McLaren’s team principal, Andrea Stella, has insisted the team are focused on sealing the Formula One constructors’ championship and that he is enormously proud of their achievement over the season, in the wake of Norris’s challenge for the drivers’ title all but falling away.
Norris had been jumped by Mercedes’ George Russell from the off in Brazil, costing him time and later locked up at turn one dropping him three places, while the team’s decision to bring him into the pits shortly before a red flag handed a free tyre change to Verstappen.
Stella nonetheless defended his driver, noting he believed the car was at fault for the lock-up at turn one and said the team were still targeting the constructors’ title, which they lead from Ferrari by 36 points. Red Bull are a further 13 points back in third.
“The constructors’ was always our priority,” he said. “So this doesn’t change anything. When it comes to the drivers, I don’t think for Lando there was any particular pressure. We were enjoying this quest.
“Sometimes from outside it may come across like there was an error there. When you lock the tyres with a car I am not looking at the driver, I am looking at why the car keeps locking the tyres.”
McLaren have been criticised for not making more of the advantage their car has enjoyed, largely being the quickest in the field since the Miami Grand Prix but Stella maintained he was pleased with the team’s performance across the season and that it bodes well for the future.
“Since we delivered lap time to the car in Miami, McLaren have outscored by far every other competitor,” he said. “We had the best car at a few events [but] not all, so the team and drivers operated at very high standards.
“We take these high standards as a positive, as the foundation to keep building. We are extremely happy with what we have been able to achieve and the standards at which we have been operating throughout the season.”
