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F1 team boss fires back at Verstappen over blistering 'false racing' rant

Photo: Race Pictures

F1 News

12:55, 15 Mar

Updated: 12:57, 15 Mar

3 Comments

byTobia Elia

Audi team principal Jonathan Wheatley disagrees with Max Verstappen’s fierce criticism of the new regulations and the racing seen during the race.

"There are battles going on in the field that I think are hugely encouraging. I think you can understand Max's comments perhaps because of where he finds himself"

- Jonathan Wheatley

The Dutchman was once again highly critical of the new rules after a weekend in which he was never in contention for the podium and which ultimately ended with a retirement in the race.

Speaking to GPblog and other media, the former Red Bull sporting director offered a different perspective to Verstappen, suggesting that his criticism may stem more from the difficult position he currently finds himself in than anything else.

"I tell you what I would say: I think if you spoke to the two Ferrari drivers, they'd say they had a brilliant day. If you can't win, then if you can just race cleanly, I have to say it didn't look like any kind of false racing to me. Each driver had a go at each other. They raced beautifully, cleanly. I enjoyed watching it.

"There are battles going on in the field that I think are hugely encouraging. I think you can understand Max's comments perhaps because of where he finds himself."

Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Verstappen warns with scathing verdict: 'This will ruin the sport!'

According to the four-time world champion, the racing has become overly artificial and lacks the authenticity that should define Formula 1 competition.

He compared the on-track action to playing Mario Kart, explaining that drivers simply overtake using electrical boost before immediately losing the advantage once the battery runs out on the following straight, allowing rivals to pass back moments later. For him, this cycle strips the racing of any genuine sporting value.

Verstappen also stressed that his criticism has nothing to do with Red Bull’s current level of competitiveness. Even if he were fighting for victories, he said he would hold the same opinion because his concern lies with the quality of the racing itself rather than his personal results.