Verstappen and Alonso are buddies: "I get along well with Fernando"

Max Verstappen goes into the weekend in Sochi knowing that a grid penalty awaits him. His approach does not change because of that, he told during Formula 1 Café on Ziggo Sport.

What's the mood like on Friday? "Severely depressed," jokes the Red Bull Racing driver about whether he is approaching the weekend differently. "No, you can't change it anyway and we have to make the best of it."

As for the incident at Monza, the Dutchman is quick to elaborate. "I think I talked enough about that on Sunday. I don't agree with the decision, but ultimately the stewards are the ones who decide," he said.

Since his crash at Silverstone, for which Lewis Hamilton was penalised, Fernando Alonso has backed Verstappen more than once. Pit reporter Jack Plooij puts that fact to Verstappen, but he himself is less impressed with it. "Do you think that's special? I get on well with Fernando. I didn't agree with the decision, maybe Fernando didn't either," concluded the Red Bull driver.