Max Verstappen could receive hefty fine after making brutal comment about 10-second penalty over team radio

Max Verstappen could be in trouble after he aimed a no-nonsense response to his 10-second penalty at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The four-time world champion made an attempt to overtake Oscar Piastri at the first corner in Abu Dhabi but after a risky attempt to pass on the inside, Verstappen clipped the McLaren, forcing them both to spin.

As a result, Verstappen dropped down to P12, whilst Piastri ended up in P19.

After an investigation by the stewards, the Red Bull driver was handed a 10-second penalty for causing a collision. Piastri appeared to aim a dig at his opponent on the team radio, saying: "Yep, move of a world champion that one."

Verstappen, meanwhile, clearly disagreed with the penalty. Taking to the Red Bull team radio, race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase said: "We have a 10-second penalty, so just bring the car to a stop as quickly as possible. That's your main focus."

As you can see in the footage below, Verstappen then responded: "Can we ask for 20 seconds? Stupid idiots."

Here's how fans on social media reacted to Verstappen's radio message.

One said: "That's a hefty fine incoming," while another commented: "Will be a deserved fine for Max, but knowing him he will probably cry about that too."

A third wrote: "I love how when Red Bull get wronged they are immediately complaining on the radio but if someone gets wronged by them they call it whining. So hypocritical."

A fourth said: "I’d laugh a lot if he’d get another penalty for that language," and a fifth added: "Absolute disgrace."

Verstappen received criticism for the incident involving Piastri, with Sky Sports' Martin Brundle calling it unnecessary.

"It's so unfair of Max wasn't it. They are not in the championship. He's won his championship," Brundle said. "To put such a risky move, I know it's the first lap of a Grand Prix, there was a gap, Piastri would he know he would lunge like that?"

He added: "It just wasn't necessary and hasn't done Verstappen any good either."

Thoughts on the incident? Let us know in the comments.