Verstappen clarifies strong reaction to 'unnecessary' criticism of Nordschleife Record

19:27, 17 May

byNicole Mulder

Max Verstappen has addressed a widely discussed tweet in the Formula 1 paddock at Imola. The Red Bull Racing driver rarely responds to social media commentary, but found the comment in question from driver Maro Engel on X about his lap record on the Nordschleife – and how it came to be – completely unnecessary.

Verstappen explains widely discussed tweet

“Yes, that was a stupid comment,” begins Verstappen in a conversation with, among others, GPblog after qualifying in Imola. “I went there to have fun and just do my laps. Then someone starts yelling about a lap record."

"That's not what I'm doing it for. I'm just training. Then, of course, it gets out. But it's like other drivers feel attacked. Whereas I always speak positively about the GT3 and the competition.”

“I'm not there to put anyone down or anything. I just enjoy it,” continues the four-time world champion. “Then you get that kind of comment, which I find completely unnecessary."

"And in the end, as I said: I'm not asking for it. It's better to just say nothing. But people normally take it seriously. Normally I don't care that much, but I know him. So then I think: you'd better said nothing.”

Verstappen is known for not being a fan of social media and therefore not spending much time on it. However, the message in question came up so often that he couldn't ignore it.

“It just kept popping up in my feed. Normally I wouldn't have seen it. But I've met him a couple of times, and I have a lot of respect for everyone who's there to train. And then I think: 'yeah, that's a bit of a shame'.”