Max Verstappen Insult Was ‘Psychological’ – Popov

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - APRIL 29: Third placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and 4th placed George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes talk in parc ferme during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City Circuit on April 29, 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202304291179 // Usage for editorial use only //
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - APRIL 29: Third placed Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and 4th placed George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes talk in parc ferme during the Sprint ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City Circuit on April 29, 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202304291179 // Usage for editorial use only //

Max Verstappen was trying to land a “psychological” blow on one of his future opponents with an incident in Baku.

That is the view of well-known Russian F1 commentator Alexey Popov, referring to Verstappen calling George Russell a “d*ckhead” after their clashes in the Azerbaijan sprint.

Back-to-back world champion Verstappen, who like Russell is 25, also called the Mercedes driver “Princess George” when referring to the incident with the Dutch print media.

I don’t know what else to say about this,” Briton Russell said on Sunday at Baku.

“It was a simple racing incident, of which there are many at the start. I don’t think he’s doing anything for his reputation by saying things like that in public.

“No, I don’t need an apology, but he is the leader of the world championship, a two-time champion, a great guy, great racer. I don’t know what else to say.”

According to Popov, however, he senses a “psychological” element to Verstappen’s attack.

“A strong racer immediately marks his territory, like predators in the wild,” he said.

“Lewis (Hamilton) is on the decline, while Russell is coming up now and will be a serious contender as soon as the car is able. So I think Max is thinking ‘make him afraid of me’. It’s necessary to run into him so that he thinks next time.

“I do not excuse Russell in any way because he really was to blame for the contact. But it seems to me that Max was not as angry as he showed.

“I may be wrong, but it seems to me that there is an element of psychological struggle for the future.”

Former Formula 1 driver Christijan Albers agrees with Russell that the clash with Verstappen last weekend was “just a racing incident”.

“If I’d have been Max, I would have just let it go,” he told De Telegraaf newspaper.

“I have slightly mixed feelings about Max from that weekend, because he’s actually become a bit calmer compared to previous years.

“Now we’re seeing a Max who is sure he can become world champion with that car. He’s a bit calmer and less aggressive, so I thought it was nice that we saw the aggression come up again with Russell,” Albers added.

“But I actually agree completely with Russell, because you have to take every opportunity at the start. It’s not the Max Verstappen show, it’s still Formula 1.”

With the race weekend now over, Russell suspects Verstappen may change his tune slightly.

“To be honest, when I looked at it on the replay, I was expecting a lot more,” he said. “There were a few touches, as is often the case in lap one, but it wasn’t much. I expected more, to be honest.”

Advertisement

Want to save this information for later?

More in News

Bruce Mclaren At The 1966 British Grand Prix

The Evolution Of F1 Cars: From 1950 To 2023

In this article, we will look at the evolution of ...
Lewis Hamilton Celebrates STEM Academy Success At The Mulberry Schools Trust

Lewis Hamilton Celebrates STEM Academy Success At The Mulberry Schools Trust

Lewis Hamilton paid a special visit to students from the ...
F1 Grand Prix Of Miami

Navigating The Ranks Of Formula 1 In The World Of Sports Entertainment

In the fast-paced world of Formula 1, where the roar ...
Why Do F1 Tracks Have Kerbs

Why Do F1 Tracks Have Kerbs?

Formula 1 tracks are carefully designed to challenge drivers and ...

Trending on F1 Chronicle