WATCH: Charles Leclerc hushes the chorus of boos directed at Max Verstappen at the Italian Gp

Max Verstappen has won 12 out of the 14 races so far and is hoping to break Sebastian vettel's record.

WATCH: Charles Leclerc hushes the chorus of boos directed at Max Verstappen at the Italian Gp

Charles Leclerc silencing the crows (Left, credits: X) and Max Verstappen (Right, credits: SBNation)

The Italian GP qualifying has produced one of the, if not the closest, finishes of the season this season. The top three drivers were separated by mere hundredths of a second, with Carlos Sainz securing pole position for Ferrari, much to the delight of the passionate Tifosi. Max Verstappen trailed closely in second, and Charles Leclerc took third place. As the event reached its climax, it was Leclerc who demonstrated an admirable display of sportsmanship.

When the drivers crossed the finish line, Sainz led Max Verstappen by a razor-thin margin of just 0.013 seconds, with Leclerc trailing by a mere 0.067 seconds. Leclerc, the first to be interviewed, expressed his amusement at qualifying third and his hopes of securing victory in the race. However, as he left the stage, Verstappen took the microphone, only to be greeted by boos from the grandstands, courtesy of the passionate Tifosi.

YouTube video

Leclerc, who had just exited the stage, immediately noticed the hostile reception and promptly silenced the crowd, urging them not to boo Max. This heartwarming moment quickly went viral on social media, earning Leclerc well-deserved appreciation from fans. Verstappen then proceeded with his interview before passing the microphone to the pole-sitter, Carlos Sainz.

FS Video

Verstappen has been an unstoppable force in the 2023 season, winning 12 out of 14 races thus far. He stands on the cusp of breaking Sebastian Vettel‘s decade-old record of nine consecutive victories if he triumphs in the upcoming race. The pent-up frustration of Ferrari fans, stemming from Verstappen’s domination and the disappointment of Leclerc’s second-place finish last season, may have fueled the booing.

Discover: ‘The Rosberg Curse’ strikes again as Carlos Sainz steals the pole from Max Verstappen at Monza

Max Verstappen claims that he is happy to be in second place

Max Verstappen (Via IAMGO)
Max Verstappen (Via IMAGO)

Red Bull has clinched victory in every race this season, even when denied pole position on four occasions. Verstappen, in his interview, expressed contentment with his P2 finish and hinted at their pursuit of victory, citing their consistently fast race car. “I am happy to be in P2. Tomorrow, we will try to win the race because we usually have a quick race car,” the Dutchman said. 

Throughout the weekend, Verstappen played catch-up to Carlos Sainz’s Scuderia Ferrari. However, he acknowledged the superior race car of the RB19 and expressed hopes of capitalizing on it. He noted, “We made good improvements compared to yesterday, and every qualifying session was tightly contested.”

As race day looms, the excitement builds over whether Ferrari can break Red Bull’s winning streak and prevent Verstappen from shattering Vettel’s record. Leclerc’s heartfelt gesture brought a sense of unity to the F1 community, transcending the fierce competition on the track.

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