Verstappen earns 'villain' mark from British newspapers after snatching pole from home favourites

12:02, 06 Jul

Co-author:Kada Sárközi

byLudo van Denderen

Not local heroes Lewis Hamilton or Lando Norris, but rather Max Verstappen claimed the pole position for the British Grand Prix. The Dutchman, who is definitely not the favourite of the British public, was the best at Silverstone with an amazing lap. This clearly hurt the British press.

In their review of qualifying, several British newspapers called Verstappen a 'villain'. The Sunday Times even did so in their lead.

The newspaper wrote: "Of course, it was Max Verstappen, the ultimate antihero, who dashed the hopes and dreams of British drivers Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton by snagging the pole position in the last seconds of the qualification at Silverstone", lamented the Sunday Times.

Daily Mail also calls Verstappen a villain

The Daily Mail also used the word villain to describe Max Verstappen: "Lewis Hamilton had them on their feet like the old days, a proud brother clapped in the Ferrari garage, and for a minute or two we wondered whether the sun would again shine through on Silverstone's favourite son and truest master.."

"In the end, the half-evoked memories came to nothing, Hamilton's brief period on top ended, running wide at the final bend."

"And so Max Verstappen, the old villain of the airfield, stamped his class on proceedings by taking a typical pole conjured from thin air. Cold air, too, that favoured his Red Bull under a grey sky."

Max Verstappen could not count on a warm welcome from everyone at the Silverstone Circuit either. The driver was in fact booed by part of the British audience.