Max Verstappen unleashed another tirade at the stewards during Sundays season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by branding them stupid idiots after being hit with a 10-second penalty for an opening-corner collision with McLarens Oscar Piastri.
Can we ask for 20 seconds? Stupid idiots, Verstappen said sarcastically over the Red Bull radio after serving his punishment, having been adjudged to have caused the accident when trying to overtake the Australian.
Verstappen, who recovered to finish sixth, later apologised to Piastri, admitting he had been at fault. But he said he did not understand the punishment. I dont understand anything anymore, but its fine, Verstappen said. Whatever. Im not going to get angry about stuff like that.
Im just happy that the season is over. For me the most important thing that I had to do is just apologise to Oscar because I had nothing to gain, nothing to lose. I went for it. It didnt work out. Hes a friend of mine so I dont want to have any weird feelings or whatever going into the break.
Piastri, who was trying to help McLaren win the constructors title, had been furious at being sent spinning. He also sent his race engineer a message heavily laden with sarcasm. Yep, move of a world champion that one, the Australian said. Told later that Verstappen had been handed a 10-second penalty, he snapped back: Good.
Verstappen has had multiple run-ins with the stewards this year. He was given a community-service order for swearing in Singapore, for which he will serve his time in Rwanda this week where the FIA prize-giving gala takes place, and received two 10-second penalties for separate incidents at the Mexican Grand Prix after which he accused the stewards of bias and said he had the wrong passport. He was also unhappy with the stewards after being demoted one place on the grid in Qatar last weekend.
The Dutchmans latest infringement takes him to eight penalty points on his licence heading into the 2025 season, just four away from a one-race ban which will not start to drop off until June.
Maybe I make sure I get to 12 when the baby is born, then I can go on paternity leave, joked the Dutch driver, who announced over the weekend that his girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, was expecting their first child.
While Verstappen can afford to joke, his team-mate Sergio Perez faces a stressful few days.
Another difficult race ended with the Mexican retiring on the second lap. New Zealander Liam Lawson is widely expected to step up from sister team RB to replace him, with an announcement expected later in the week, possibly after Red Bulls homecoming party at their factory on Wednesday. Red Bull Junior driver Isack Hadjar is expected to replace Lawson at RB to drive alongside Yuki Tsunoda.
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