‘Very cheeky’ Max Verstappen told to ‘apologise’ after Hungary GP radio drama

Max Verstappen was “very cheeky” with race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase – who is owed an “apology” – over team radio in Hungary.

That is the opinion of 1996 Formula 1 World Champion Damon Hill, who did not like what he was hearing from the frustrated Dutchman during the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen told he owes Gianpiero Lambiase an ‘apology’

Several factors served to frustrate Verstappen in a difficult Hungarian GP for the World Championship leader – a race which he finished in P5 – whether it was his despair over strategy after being undercut twice – first by Lewis Hamilton and then Charles Leclerc – or his collision with Hamilton as they battled for the final podium spot.

Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase – affectionally known as ‘GP’ – bore the brunt of Verstappen’s anger as he vented over team radio, GP giving as good as he got in a fresh in-race tiff between the duo.

Hill though believes Verstappen was in the wrong and should be sending an apology the way of his race engineer.

“I thought Max sounded a bit frustrated,” Hill is quoted by Formule1.nl .

“He was complaining all the time, he sounded a bit desperate if you ask me.

“But the way he spoke to Gianpiero I thought was very cheeky. I think he deserves an apology from Max.”

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Judging by Verstappen’s take on the matter, GP may not be getting that apology which Hill believes is so richly deserved.

Verstappen was pressed on the criticism that he went too far with his words on team radio in Hungary, but had a very clear message for said critics.

“They can all f**k off,” was Verstappen’s blunt response.

“I mean, of course, I’m annoyed but I’ve been annoyed before – sometimes you press in the radio to voice your opinion and that’s what I did today hoping that, maybe, the second pit-stop will be a better call.

“But it wasn’t. But, for me, that is not distracting when I’m driving. Of course, I’m annoyed but you also then focus back on what you have to do and that’s, of course, controlling the car.”

He added: “I was just annoyed with today.

“Maybe the team, at the time, didn’t realise what they did wrong, or they maybe didn’t see it was so severe.

“But, in the car, you have also different feelings. I already said yesterday that maybe some people are not on the same wavelength with it’s as severe as it is.

“I knew it was already going to be a difficult race and beating McLaren would be tough. But then you need, at least, to get a P3 over the line, and even that we couldn’t do.”

With Oscar Piastri heading a McLaren one-two as he sealed his first Grand Prix win, McLaren has reduced Red Bull’s Constructors’ Championship lead to 51 points.

Read next – Revealed: Every word exchanged between furious Max Verstappen and Gianpiero Lambiase