Featured Image Credit: Sky Sports F1
Topics: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Formula 1
Marcus Chan
Max Verstappen’s 2023 Formula 1 season has been perfectly summed up by his team radio message during the Belgian Grand Prix.
After a change of gearbox, Verstappen was handed a five-place grid penalty ahead of qualifying on Friday afternoon.
On the back of setting the fastest lap, Verstappen started in 6th place as a result of his penalty.
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By the end of the first lap, the reigning F1 world champion was already up to fourth place.
Eventually, Verstappen overtook teammate Sergio Perez and ended up winning the race by more than 20 seconds.
During the race, Verstappen’s team radio message got fans talking.
With his car much faster than the rest of the grid, Verstappen suggested: “I can also push a bit more and that we do another pit stop, a bit of pit stop training.”
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However, his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase said: “No, not this time.”
Fans were quick to react on social media.
One said: “Max Verstappen’s 2023 season summed up.”
Another tweeted: “He's mocking it at this point.”
A third fan added: “He’s so bored he’s trying to get a reaction from GP.”
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Someone else wrote: “Max is so much faster he is legitimately trolling everyone.”
Whilst a fifth commented: “Lol, Max wants to give pitstop training to his crew while leading the race.”
Another fan said: “Max is so bored he’s annoying gp for entertainment.”
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After the race, Verstappen said: “It's a new spot (winning from) P6. I knew that we had a great car and it was just about surviving Turn One. I could see it getting really tight so I was just going to stay out of that and it worked out.
“From there onwards we made the right overtakes and moves. I got a bit stuck in a DRS train at the start but once that cleared I could do my own pace. Again, really enjoyable.”
F1 will now head into a summer break and will return with the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort which will take place on 27 August.