Seeing Max Verstappen fight against an McLaren driver in turn 1 or a Formula 1 Grand Prix has become something of the last two standard seasons.
While often Verstappen fight against Lando Norris, on Sunday at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix he was fighting with Oscar Piasstri after the lights came out in the Jeddah Corniche circuit. With Verstappen starting in the pole position, and Piastri with him in the front row, the two fought in the first corner after the McLaren driver had a tremendous beginning outside the line. Verstappen managed to hold on to the position, leaving the track to do so, and finally received a five -second penalty for leaving the track to get an advantage.
That opened the third victory of the Piastri season, since it took the checkered flag ahead of Verstappen and the Ferrari Charles Leclerc driver. Speaking at the FIA press conference after the Grand Prix, Verstappen praised the quiet behavior of the McLaren driver, as well as his approach to the careers.
“I think I said it before. People forget a little, last year it was his second year. He is now in his third year and is very solid. He is very quiet in his focus, and I like that,” Verstappen said. “He shows himself on the way. He delivers when he has to do it, he barely makes mistakes, and that is what you need when you want to fight for a championship. And I think with Mark [Webber, Piastri’s manager and a former Red Bull driver] Beside him, he is helping him a lot. It’s great. People learn from their own races, that’s what I had with my dad, and Mark is an Oscar notice.
“At the end of the day, Oscar is using his talent, and that is great to see.”
That was one of the longest answers Verstappen Cool after the races on Sunday, since the Red Bull driver kept his short responses and to the point when asked about the penalty or other aspects of the race. Verstappen indicated that why maintaining their short response and not saying “too much” so that their words did not twist.
“It has to do with social networks in general and what the world is like,” Verstappen said. “I prefer not to talk much because sometimes your words can twist or people interpret them in a different way. Honestly, it is better to say too much. So that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Later in the FIA Verstappen press conference he pointed out that the “less talk” about him, better.
“As I said before, it is only the world we live in. You cannot share your opinion, it is not an appreciated team, or people cannot handle the complete truth,” Verstappen added. “Honestly, it is better if I don’t say too much. I also save me time because we already have to do a lot. It is honestly that it is just how everything is becoming. Everything is super sensitive above all. And what we have and what we have Bave and what we have been in hunting and what we have and what we have been in Crate. Speaking, only better for me.”
Certainly you can understand Verstappen’s frustration. F1 drivers face substantial demands of the media, including media requirements, such as a press conference after the race that happens moments after a Grand Prix ends. And specifically with respect to the Red Bull driver, it was his description of the RB20 last season at a press conference before the Singapore Grand Prix that triggered the controversy with respect to the sanctions for the FIA for the drivers who swore the tasks of duration.
Therefore, we may not listen to much of Verstappen in the next week, apart from what he says he drives. Then, what he said about Piastri, who now leads the classification of the pilot championship, says a lot.