F1 News: Former Driver On Booing Of Max Verstappen In Austin - "Shame For The Sport"

It could have been attributed to the issue between Sergio Perez and Red Bull.

Former F1 driver Timo Glock termed the booing of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) as a shameful act for the sport because he is currently the best athlete that the premier class racing has to offer the world today.

Key Takeaways:

• F1 driver Timo Glock criticized the booing of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen at the Circuit of the Americas, calling it shameful for the sport, as Verstappen is the current best athlete in Formula 1.
• Max Verstappen recently won his third championship title in Qatar, despite starting sixth on the grid and battling brake issues, earning his 15th win of the season.
• The booing of successful drivers like Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton has been on the rise in recent years, often depending on the region where they are racing, which Glock finds incomprehensible and detrimental to the sport.

The Dutchman recently took his 15th win of the season and his 50th career win in Austin. Verstappen started sixth on the grid and despite battling brake issues, he managed to get ahead of the pack and stay clear of Lewis Hamilton in P2 by 2.223 seconds on the finish line. 

However, one major problem that many saw at Austin was the large Mexican crowd at COTA who supported their own driver Sergio Perez, but booed at his teammate Verstappen during the post-race parc fermé interview and on the podium.

If you notice in recent years, booing incidents have been on the rise. Mostly, they are directed towards successful drivers like Verstappen or Hamilton, depending on the region they're racing in. 

Former Jordan, Toyota, and Virgin driver Glock finds the booing rather incomprehensible because it is being done at the Formula 1 world champion. Expressing his views on his Sky Germany column, he said:

"Why Max Verstappen was booed after his victory in Austin is incomprehensible to me.

"It may have been due to the issue between Sergio Perez and Red Bull, but Verstappen had nothing to do with that. That's why I can't understand it at all.

"It's a shame for the sport because Verstappen is an exceptional athlete who has delivered an incredible performance this year. In my eyes, that's an absolute no-go, and it shouldn't be done."

The booing also comes in the wake of reports that suggest the ordeals Perez has been facing within the Milton Keynes outfit for being Verstappen's teammate. In addition, it could be related to team advisor Dr Helmut Marko's remarks about the Mexican driver and his liking for Verstappen. 

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