Portuguese Grand Prix: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen spoken to by team over outburst

Formula 1
Max Verstappen

Red Bull say they have spoken to Max Verstappen about offensive language the Dutchman used over team radio at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

The Dutchman repeatedly swore at Racing Point’s Lance Stroll after the two crashed and also used offensive phrases about disabled people.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said the team “don’t condone” the remarks and “have discussed this with Max internally”.

“Max did not mean to cause offence.

“They were made in the heat of the moment when emotions were running high,” he added.

Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko added on German television that the team had advised Verstappen that the remarks he used were not acceptable.

Verstappen made the comments straight after he and Stroll had collided at the first corner following a misunderstanding in second practice at the Autodromo do Algarve.

Verstappen had let Stroll past him at the end of the previous lap and then tried to pass the Canadian at the start of the next one as the Red Bull driver was starting a flying lap.

The Dutchman dived for the inside of Stroll at Turn One but the Racing Point driver turned in and they hit each other.

Formula 1 stewards investigated the incident but decided to take no further action on the grounds that it was a misunderstanding.

They said that while Verstappen assumed Stroll would back off having completed a flying lap, the Canadian had been told by his team to go for a second flying lap “so was not looking for the overtaking Verstappen”.

“The drivers agreed in the hearing that the incident was the result of a misunderstanding between them and that with hindsight, both could have contributed to avoid the incident,” the stewards added.

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