Max Verstappen has made his feelings clear about the backlash he has received recently about his driving style and said that his approach has always been to drive to the rules. The Dutch driver has been one of the best drivers in F1 in the last few years. There is, however, one thing that has also stood out for the driver, and it is the ability to drive in such a manner that he operates within the grey area of the sport.
This was something that led to backlash recently when the driver’s defensive tactics were under the spotlight in his battles with Lando Norris. The second half of the season has seen Verstappen try to defend a championship lead that has been consistently shrinking in a Red Bull car that has just not been good enough compared to the rivals.
This led to Verstappen driving in a manner where the aim of the race became either fending off title rival Norris or compromising his race to such an extent that he didn’t score the maximum available points on the table.
This led to some questionable tactics in Austin and Mexico, which were criticized as well. Talking to the BBC, Verstappen was questioned if he felt singled out when it came to the backlash, to which the driver said that he always drove to the limit of the regulations that have been put in place. He said:
“Honestly, even if they would have done or did, first of all I don’t care because I drive to what I think is possible and what is allowed in the rules. And if the rules are written like that, I will use the rules.”
He added:
“If that would have happened to me the other way around, I don’t think I would have been the person to complain so hard because I would just think, ‘OK, if that’s the rules, that’s how we do it’ instead of screaming that we need to change the rules.”
Max Verstappen takes a shot at ‘passive’ drivers
Max Verstappen also took a shot at ‘passive’ drivers on the F1 grid who are not alert enough to take advantage of the rules. Talking about how he has raced throughout his life, the Red Bull driver made it clear that he would not let anyone overtake him around the outside.
“Well, me personally, I don’t race like that. When I race with someone, he will not be able to overtake me around the outside. That’s how I grew up racing. Some drivers are just a bit more passive in racing, that’s just how they are. And I know that in F1 I can’t hang it around the outside because they will push me off. It’s a racing instinct,” he said.
By the looks of it, these tactics have seemingly worked for Verstappen this season. The driver has more or less secured his fourth world championship this season. Going into the F1 Las Vegas GP on Sunday, the Dutch driver needs to finish ahead of Lando Norris to seal the championship this weekend.
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