Following the clash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, the British media have strong opinions.
Former McLaren mechanic Marc Priestley thinks Verstappen acted like he did during his 2021 title fight with Lewis Hamilton.
Priestley’s Take: ‘Verstappen Needed a Penalty’
“It was like seeing an old Max Verstappen,” Priestley said on YouTube. He recalled when Max first joined the sport and was criticized for his aggressive driving and questionable moves. They even made a rule about not moving under braking because of him, which he seemed to break again today. But the stewards didn’t agree, which Priestley found very odd.
He added that there were at least one or two moves where Verstappen was clearly at fault in his eyes. The 47-year-old Briton couldn’t understand why Max wasn’t penalized for moving while braking, something Verstappen denied doing.
“I can’t see any reason why the stewards wouldn’t call that a major offense,” Priestley said. “A 10-second penalty might be fair, but anything less would be too lenient.”
‘Verstappen’s Actions Seemed Like Payback’
After a slow pit stop, Norris was faster on new tires, but Verstappen didn’t want to give way. According to Priestley, “It looked like Max tried to push Lando off track again heading into turn four.” Even with a puncture and knowing he needed to pit, Max still didn’t let Lando pass easily.
Fans might think this behavior is surprising given how mature Max usually is these days.
“It felt like an angry reaction from Max,” continued Priestley. “That kind of behavior is dangerous and immature.” He noted that it’s not what people expect from today’s Verstappen, who usually handles pressure well. Sunday’s incident seemed out of character for him .
What do you think about this?
