F1 French Grand Prix: Max Verstappen on politics - “I don’t think that it’s only me who must speak up”

Max Verstappen has said “for the past year I feel like all I have spoken about is political stuff” when questioned about the many off-track issues around F1.
Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 12, French Grand Prix, Paul Ricard, France,
Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 12, French Grand Prix…

Reigning champion Verstappen tops the standings heading 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:into this weeke൩nd’s F1 French Granﷺd Prix,🤡 where he ai🔯ms to hit back after his closest challenger Charles Leclerc won in Austria last time out.

Verstappen has been questioned about comments mad⭕e by his girlfriend’s father, th🃏e ex-F1 champion Nelson Piquet, about Lewis Hamilton plus the behaviour of fans at the Austrian Grand Prix, where people reported sexual 💃harassment in t✃he grandstands.

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“I don’t think that it’s only me who must speꦕak༺ up,” Verstappen said at the Circuit Paul Ricard when asked about these issues again. 

“That’s w💃hat ꦚI did in the press conference which has more traction.

“If I ꩵhad to speak up about everything in the world then I would be non-stop on social media. There is a place and a time.

“For the past year I feel like all I have spoken abouꦗt is political s𒈔tuff. At the end of the day, I’m a Formula 1 driver.

“When I am asked, I say what I think. But I shouldn’t be the political movement behind it because I am a driver ജin a sport.

“ꦰThey might be my fans, but they are also fans of the sport. So the spo🐷rt must take action, not only the driver.”

Is Verstappen worried about Covid-19?

Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing in the post race FIA Press Conference. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 11, Austrian
Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing in the post race FIA Press Conference. Formula 1 World…

Lewis Hamilton has detailed why he chooses to continue wea♈ring a face-mask to protect himself from Covid-19.

Verstappen said: “Everyone has their own preferences. If you stay somewhere for 5-10 minutes it’s not too bad, but if you stayed in a closed-off area with people who a🥀re not tested? It is a different story.

“The FIA is following the local authorities.

“We ♑have all opened up and someᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚtimes it seems that people forget it is still around.

“It would be very 🌜sad if drivers have to miss races because of it.”

Verstappen vs Leclerc for the 2022 F1 title?

(L to R): Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing and Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari in the post race FIA Press Conference.
(L to R): Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing and Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari in the post…

The Dutchman remembered his early season struggles when it looked like Re✱d Bull might be playing catch-up to Fe💎rrari.

“After Melbourne I hoped, at the end of the season, we would have a potential chance,” he said. “Then it really quickly turned around. That just shows it can go ℱthe other way, too.

“There has never been a ♍dominant weekend from us. At the start of the season, we were t🍌he ones chasing Ferrari and they had retirements which we took advantage of. And their strategy calls.

“We ♈are still overweight🍃 which is costing us lap time.

“If you are overweight, you carry it all the time. It is free lap time that you a🐭re giving away. There is no upgrade that can overcome that.

“Overall 🌄Ferrari have had ❀more dominant weekends than we have had.”

He said about Red Bull’s performance: “If we had stronger front tyr𒊎es we could attack a corner better. But on the other hand, it puts a limit on what you coไuld gain on a lower speed corner.

“We have struggled ❀with degradation more than last year. On average we ♛have done more stops which comes from the front giving up.

“The cars are very different [to last year].

“We still need to bring updates to the car, aﷺnd they need to work. There is no guarantee.”

(L to R): Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing and Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 in the post race FIA Press
(L to R): Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing and Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes AMG F1 in the…

Verstappen encouraged the improvement of Mercedes, who have seen Hamilton claim consecutive podiums which has led him to claim that he can still win a race 𒆙💛this season.

“I✅t is a good thing because it means everyone has to be at 100 percent to get the points they deserve,” Verstappen said. “In 🍒general for the sport it is better to have three teams fighting. For myself it is better because, with more cars, more things can happen.”

Verstappen said a💖bout the rumours of the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit being ꦅdropped from the F1 calendar: “It is sad. It is my favourite track to drive. It is a very iconic track. 

“I don’t want to see myself in 2028 drivin💎g only on street circuits, close to cities, just for fan engagement. I understand it is about money. F1 cars are not designed for [street circuits].”

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