F1 News: Max Verstappen Lashes Out At Stewards After Chaotic Race - 'Send The Medical Delegate'

Alex Harrington | Jul 21, 2024

May 5, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) arrives in the paddock before the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

At the Hungarian Grand Prix, tensions flared as Max Verstappen, Red Bull's 3-time champion, voiced his frustrations throughout the race held at the Hungaroring track. Verstappen, known for his candid demeanor, had a particularly contentious race day, culminating in a sharp critique of the race stewards.

Verstappen's grievances were multi-faceted, targeting the performance of his car, bad driving by rival drivers, and questionable decisions from his own team. The climax of his tumultuous day came during a late-race incident with Lewis Hamilton. In Verstappen’s view, he was "launched" by Hamilton’s Mercedes wheel, an event the Mercedes driver himself dismissed as a standard racing incident. This collision was significant enough to cost Verstappen a race position, igniting his already simmering frustration.

After the race, the drama extended beyond the track when Verstappen was summoned to explain his side of the incident to the race stewards. Additionally, he was instructed to undergo a medical check, as informed by his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase:

"I hear that the medical delegate has to look at you and examine you in the parc fermé."

Verstappen's response to this was laden with sarcasm and criticism of the stewards' decisions during the race. He quipped via the onboard radio:

"We can send the medical delegate to the stewards' office so they can look at them," implying that the stewards, rather than he, needed examination.