Max Verstappen's Radio Antics Come Under The Scanner Again - 'Out Of Order'

Saajan Jogia | Aug 21, 2024

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 25, 2024 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. / Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Max Verstappen's infamous Hungarian Grand Prix radio antics, which caught many by surprise, have come under Sky F1 commentator David Croft's scanner for the second time, who suggested that the Dutchman was "tired and grumpy" during the race at the Hungaroring because of his late-night sim racing sessions.

As Formula 1 prepares for the Dutch GP in Zandvoort, Max Verstappen's home race, commentator Croft revisited the incidents at the Hungarian GP that triggered the 26-year-old's frustration, leading to his headline-grabbing outburst at his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

What started as an order by Lambiase to return the race position to Lando Norris as the FIA looked into Verstappen's possible off-track overtake, Verstappen's temper flared up as the race progressed, with him eventually blasting the team for its failed strategy. Making matters worse, his aggressive driving ensured he passed Charles Leclerc in a jiffy, only to make contact with Lewis Hamilton at the closing stages of the race.

The collision sent the rear of Verstappen's RB20 airborne before it slammed back onto the tarmac and veered into the gravel. Remarkably, he rejoined the race behind Leclerc and ultimately secured a fifth-place finish. While the stewards let off Verstappen and Hamilton for the incident, the race's highlight was Oscar Piastri's first race win, followed by Verstappen's appalling temper.

Croft triggered a controversy from the incident by blaming Verstappen's late-night sim racing activities which lasted until 3 a.m. the night before the Grand Prix, for his grumpy mood. Here's what he said during the commentary:

“I don’t want to sound too critical, but Max Verstappen is sounding like a man who stayed up late last night doing a sim race, which he did, and then got up early this morning to do a sim race, which he did, rather than getting a good night’s sleep in Budapest, which by the sounds of it, he could probably have done with."

Now though, the Sky presenter seems to have raked up Verstappen's radio antics on the Sky F1 Podcast. After podcast host Matt Baker remarked that Verstappen "carries himself so well" despite increased competition from Mercedes and McLaren in F1 2024, Croft replied:

“Apart from during the race in Hungary, where I do think the way he acted was out of order on the radio.

“And I said that a couple of times in commentary, so we’ll move on then…

“Maybe I dwelled a bit much that day, but yeah, it was interesting that, you know, watching that race, it wasn’t just Max under pressure, he just looked tetchy, sounded tetchy, he sounded tired and grumpy.

“I know what I’m like if I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep the night before.

“He did sound grumpy, and the team agreed that he was grumpy as well, because they told him that he couldn’t be staying up that late again to do sim racing the nights before a race.”

The controversy prompted Red Bull to address Verstappen's late-night sim racing habits, resulting in an agreement that he would refrain from such activities before race weekends.