Journalists who arrived at Silverstone were disappointed. Some new reactions from Max Verstappen were expected a few days after he rammed Lando Norris last Sunday in Austria. The interpretation of the incident was almost unanimous: Max’s fault. And the three-time world champion appeared less trenchant than other times in the past.
Already at the end of the race in Spielberg his words on the incident that decreed the end of Lando’s race and his demotion from almost victory to below the podium were not very decisive: “I don’t think it’s my fault”; “Apologize? In any case, not now…”.
So everyone at Silverstone waiting for some new statement, other possible claims. Maybe already in a press conference before the start of hostilities on the track. But no. From Max silence. From Norris a surrendering: “These things happen. Let’s not talk about it anymore…”. And so, waiting for the sequel to a wrestling match that, if there will be one, will only be in the race, let’s venture into a reading of what happened. Just to give some more elements to assist in the sure duel in the race.
Reading that must have started several years ago. Because Max, in terms of excesses (in attack or defense) began to stand out already in his early days in F1. His arrival in Red Bull, on the wave of a personal competitiveness never in question, fueled this sometimes too aggressive streak. Intimidating trajectories and braking soon became part of his style. And even more so the intolerance towards any negative comment: in Shanghai, in a post-race press conference that had as its central topic one of his behaviors beyond the limit, he burst out with a vehement “I do not accept this type of criticism: whoever insists will have to deal with me!”.
Fortunately, the words did not have a sequel, wrestling remained confined to words. But episodes of this kind did not fail from then on.
Then the situation changed. The very fast Red Bull of much of 2021 and especially the unstoppable one from mid-2022 onwards have produced a different Verstappen: impeccable, superior, no longer needing to fight hand-to-hand and therefore almost immune to questionable behavior on the track.
That is until Spielberg a few days ago. That mega annoying McLaren behind him, that Norris determined to the limit and beyond: Max’s aggressive streak has returned to that of many years ago. A streak that closes.
The events of last Sunday deserve a question. How come the three-time world champion slipped so automatically into a reaction foul even though he knew (the Red pit wall must have told him, right?) that Lando would have been penalized for the near-hook the lap before? Is it the fault of a now less rock-solid confidence in being at the wheel of an unassailable single-seater? It would seem so.
And now let’s enjoy Silverstone, where McLaren and Lando should be very, very fast again. The show is guaranteed.
#Verstappen #vein #closes #FormulaPassion.it