The 2024 Formula 1 season has seen the very best and some of the worst of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.
It’s rare that a world champion arrives at the final race of the season and isn’t the subject of much of the discussion before and after the event but that’s what happened at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen had already wrapped up a fourth title for Red Bull but his antics on the track weren’t the main focus of the weekend.
Verstappen and Russell’s feud continued from Qatar into Abu Dhabi but hasn’t overshadowed several departures up and down the paddock.
Lewis Hamilton is saying goodbye to Mercedes, Carlos Sainz to Ferrari and Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen and Zhou Guanyu to Formula 1 for now.
However, with the Constructors’ Championship the most important battle going on during the race, even though Verstappen’s Red Bull were out of contention, he still ended up being involved.
Verstappen dove down the inside of the first corner, spinning Oscar Piastri and ending up with a 10-second penalty.
His response to that decision was relayed on Sky Sports F1 (8/12 1:47pm) and it’s safe to say Martin Brundle wasn’t happy.
Martin Brundle unimpressed with Max Verstappen’s reaction to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix penalty
After Piastri was sent pirouetting around by Verstappen on the first lap, he knew he would have a delayed pit stop when he eventually changed his tyres.
Over the team radio after his stop, Verstappen said: “Could you ask for 20 seconds? Stupid idiots.”
Brundle heard this message and said: “You can’t say that about the referees, you can’t say that.
“That’s just not fair, they’re applying the regulations and don’t run into other people and then you won’t get the penalties.”
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His co-commentator David Croft added: “I understand the emotions, I understand that he’s annoyed but he’s a four-time world champion, it’s not going to make any difference to his finishing position in the championship and he was the one who steamed down the inside and made contact with another car.
“Come on Max, you’re bigger than that, you’re better than that.”
Martin Brundle previously upset by Max Verstappen’s radio messages to Red Bull this season
It’s not the first time Verstappen has said something on the team radio that’s upset Brundle.
During the Austrian Grand Prix, Brundle told Red Bull they needed to stop Verstappen after he disagreed with their approach to communications with the multiple world champion.
He collided with Lando Norris that day and benefitted from finishing in the points while the Brit was forced to retire.
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Verstappen was furious in Hungary with the strategy Red Bull planned for him and didn’t speak to his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase for days after that race.
The 27-year-old had an anonymous race after his penalty, finishing sixth behind both Ferrari and Mercedes cars as well as the eventual race winner Lando Norris.
If the grid converges in the way it has been this season next year, Verstappen will be under the most pressure yet to retain his title.
