Three-time Formula One champion and current leader Max Verstappen has no intention of changing how he speaks to his Red Bull team despite facing criticism, the Dutch driver said on Thursday.
A frustrated Verstappen turned the air blue on the radio to the Red Bull pit wall during the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend, where he finished fifth, and the defending champion has gone three races without a win.
"You know people who don't like my language, then don't listen in, turn the volume down," Verstappen told reporters ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.
"I'm very driven to success, I think I've proved that. I always want to optimise stuff. People can arguet he might not be so vocal on the radio but that's their opinion."
Verstappen spent much of the last race arguing with engineer Gianpiero Lambiase over his team's strategy, and was left furious after a collision with Lewis Hamilton, but he said it is an approach which has proved successful.
"We are very open-minded, very critical of each other. It has been working for us very well so I don't expect that to change," he said.
"That's our approach. I think it's important you can be critical because in this world we are living in I feel a lot of people can't take criticism like it used to be, and I don't want to end up like that."
Unlike many other sports, in F1 Verstappen's every word is overheard by millions watching around the world, but it won't change the way he goes about his business.
"That's also a thing. In other sports people say things but they don't have a mic attached to their mouths," Verstappen said.
" I don't care, I say what I want, but that's our sport naturally. You communicate a lot with the pit wall, you have the opportunity to talk.
"Maybe in other sports you swear to yourself about stuff you didn't like, a team mate didn't pass the ball, you call them whatever it is, there is no mic."
Verstappen also responded to criticism over his participation in a virtual sim race the night before the Hungarian Grand Prix, but denied reports his team had banned him from future events.
"I raced until 3 am. It's not something new and it's something very important in my life. There are no other sim races coming up so nobody has to worry about that," he said.
"I've won three world championships. I think I know pretty well what I can and cannot do. I'm always very hard on myself with what is and isn't allowed and, with all the experience I have in Formula 1, I think I know quite well what is best."
Verstappen is 76 points clear in the championship with 11 of 24 races remaining.
Verstappen says he won’t dial down racy language to please critics
Image: Kym Illman/Getty Images
Three-time Formula One champion and current leader Max Verstappen has no intention of changing how he speaks to his Red Bull team despite facing criticism, the Dutch driver said on Thursday.
A frustrated Verstappen turned the air blue on the radio to the Red Bull pit wall during the Hungarian Grand Prix last weekend, where he finished fifth, and the defending champion has gone three races without a win.
"You know people who don't like my language, then don't listen in, turn the volume down," Verstappen told reporters ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.
"I'm very driven to success, I think I've proved that. I always want to optimise stuff. People can arguet he might not be so vocal on the radio but that's their opinion."
Verstappen spent much of the last race arguing with engineer Gianpiero Lambiase over his team's strategy, and was left furious after a collision with Lewis Hamilton, but he said it is an approach which has proved successful.
"We are very open-minded, very critical of each other. It has been working for us very well so I don't expect that to change," he said.
"That's our approach. I think it's important you can be critical because in this world we are living in I feel a lot of people can't take criticism like it used to be, and I don't want to end up like that."
Unlike many other sports, in F1 Verstappen's every word is overheard by millions watching around the world, but it won't change the way he goes about his business.
"That's also a thing. In other sports people say things but they don't have a mic attached to their mouths," Verstappen said.
" I don't care, I say what I want, but that's our sport naturally. You communicate a lot with the pit wall, you have the opportunity to talk.
"Maybe in other sports you swear to yourself about stuff you didn't like, a team mate didn't pass the ball, you call them whatever it is, there is no mic."
Verstappen also responded to criticism over his participation in a virtual sim race the night before the Hungarian Grand Prix, but denied reports his team had banned him from future events.
"I raced until 3 am. It's not something new and it's something very important in my life. There are no other sim races coming up so nobody has to worry about that," he said.
"I've won three world championships. I think I know pretty well what I can and cannot do. I'm always very hard on myself with what is and isn't allowed and, with all the experience I have in Formula 1, I think I know quite well what is best."
Verstappen is 76 points clear in the championship with 11 of 24 races remaining.
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