WATCH: Red Bull fans booed Max Verstappen after his Miami GP win over Sergio Perez amidst rising tension within the team
Max Verstappen says he is "absolutely fine" with the boos as long as he is successful.
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Sergio Perez. Max Verstappen. Images via The Guardian & Sports Illustrated.
Max Verstappen won his second consecutive Miami Grand Prix race. It was a good recovery from ninth on the grid to win his third race of the 2023 F1 season. Verstappen now leads the championship by 14 points ahead of teammate Sergio Perez. The Dutchman had a solid weekend as he overtook several drivers and stepped on the podium yet again.
However, the two-time world champion was booed by fans during the pre-race ceremony and also after the race. The jeers were heard from fans when Verstappen went on the podium to receive his trophy. And what is even more shocking is that they were Red Bull fans. Twitter users quickly pointed out that they were Mexican fans supporting Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez.
Checo’s fans were disappointed that he did not win the race. It is understood that there is a tension within the Red Bull garage. The fans claim the Milton Keynes-based team favors Verstappen more than Perez. However, team boss Christian Horner stated that both drivers are free to race and are given equal treatment. Verstappen does not get rattled by these jeers. Time and again, he has mentioned that it does not affect him.
Max Verstappen claims it is “normal” for fans to boo him because of his success
Max Verstappen spoke about the incident to Sky Sports F1. He stated, “If I were driving in the back nobody would be doing anything in terms of reaction. I think it is normal when you are winning and they don’t like who is winning. It is something for me which is absolutely fine as long as I am standing on the top. To me, the most important thing is I take the trophy home and they go back to their houses and they can… have a nice evening.”
Verstappen added, “I always feel unbeatable but sometimes other people also have a really good day and they can be close to you, match you, or be ahead. I think what is important is to try and be close to 100 per cent perfect every time.” The Red Bull driver confessed that the weekend was not perfect, but he tried to be as close as possible to being perfect.
This is not the first time Verstappen has received negative remarks from the crowd. The Dutchman was booed at the Silverstone GP in 2022. This came a year after the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Red Bull champion believes it is normal for people to hate when he is winning. He is happy as long as he continues to win. The 25-year-old does not let these incidents get to him.
In case you missed it:
- “I gave it all,” Sergio Perez downhearted after a humbling loss to Max Verstappen in Miami GP.
- “After 57 laps, I woke up” – Fans react as Max Verstappen wins an uneventful Miami GP after beating Sergio Perez as tensions at Red Bull arise
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Sugantha Meena
(493 Articles Published)