Max Verstappen Fires Back at British Critics After Dominant

Max Verstappen Fires Back at British Critics After Dominant São Paulo GP Victory”

Max Verstappen responded to British media critics after delivering a commanding performance to win the São Paulo Grand Prix, a race that puts him on the verge of securing his fourth consecutive Formula 1 world championship. Starting from 17th on the grid, Verstappen stormed to victory at Interlagos, while his main title rival, Lando Norris, dropped from pole position to finish sixth. Norris, who had been trailing Verstappen by 44 points, now finds himself 62 points behind with only 86 points remaining. Verstappen will secure the championship if he is 60 points ahead after the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix.

This win was Verstappen’s first since June and comes amid a tense rivalry with Norris, which has sparked fierce criticism from several British pundits, including former Formula 1 drivers Damon Hill, Martin Brundle, and Johnny Herbert. Hill, the 1996 world champion, compared Verstappen’s aggressive on-track behavior to Dick Dastardly, a notorious cartoon villain from Wacky Races. Brundle remarked that Verstappen’s reputation was being “tainted” following a 20-second penalty for forcing Norris off the track twice during the Mexican Grand Prix. Herbert, who now serves as an FIA steward, also weighed in, calling Verstappen’s driving “harsh” and “over the top.”

In a sharp retort to these criticisms, Verstappen took aim at the British media during the post-race press conference. “I have a quick question. I appreciate all of you being here, but I don’t see any British press. Do they have to run to the airport, or they don’t know where the press conference is?” the Dutchman quipped.

Speaking about his victory, Verstappen emphasized the importance of the result in maintaining his lead in the championship, particularly as he had expected Norris to gain ground after securing pole in a delayed qualifying session. “My emotions today were a rollercoaster,” he said. “We stayed out of trouble, we made the right calls, and we were flying.”

When asked about the possibility of clinching the championship at the next race in Las Vegas, Verstappen downplayed the prospect, stating, “I just want clean races, that’s all. I am not thinking about clinching the championship in Vegas or whatever.”

Meanwhile, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella voiced his pride in the team’s overall performance this season despite Norris’s title hopes fading. Stella confirmed that the team remains focused on securing the Constructors’ Championship, which they currently lead by 36 points ahead of Ferrari, with Red Bull a further 13 points behind in third place.

Norris had a difficult race in Brazil, being overtaken by Mercedes’ George Russell at the start and then locking up his tyres at turn one, dropping him several positions. To compound his issues, McLaren brought him into the pits just before a red flag allowed Verstappen to make a free tyre change. However, Stella defended his driver, attributing the lock-up to the car rather than driver error. “When you lock the tyres with a car, I am not looking at the driver, I am looking at why the car keeps locking the tyres,” he said.

Despite some criticism that McLaren has not fully capitalized on its car’s potential, particularly as they have had one of the quickest cars since the Miami Grand Prix, Stella remains optimistic about the team’s future. He emphasized McLaren’s strong performance since Miami, where they have outscored all other teams, and sees this season’s successes as a foundation for future growth. “We take these high standards as a positive, as the foundation to keep building,” he concluded.