Max Verstappen’s “stupid” comment to Red Bull mechanic prompted Christian Horner response

Max Verstappen’s race at the Australian Grand Prix lasted for only a few laps because of a brakes fire which melted the rear-right corner of his RB20, forcing him to retire.

Verstappen clarified the discussion he had with a Red Bull team member that was captured by TV cameras in the team garage.

Unfortunately, he had to retire from the Australian Grand Prix early after a brake fire caused damage to the rear-right corner of his RB20, forcing him to pit and end his race prematurely.

Upon exiting the car and taking off his helmet, he was spotted at the back of the Red Bull garage engaged in a lively conversation with a coworker. He seemed to mutter the word “ridiculous” and seemed to curse before walking away.

The Dutch driver has since clarified the discussion and shared what he had actually said. “That was about us making a pit stop while the car was on fire. I was thinking, ‘Why are we making a pit stop?'” he explained.

Verstappen expressed his calmness after experiencing his first DNF since the 2022 Melbourne race, overcoming the initial frustration. Despite not earning any points, he remains the championship leader and is determined to bounce back and return to his winning form at Suzuka.

According to him, “There’s a part of me that finds excitement in this situation because I have a strong desire to win. We’ve had a remarkable streak of successful races with great reliability, but I always knew that eventually, a retirement would come our way. Unfortunately, that day happened to be today.”

We’ve had a solid two-year streak, haven’t we? It’s definitely something to be proud of. However, it’s always disappointing when things don’t go as planned. The key now is to figure out the reasons behind it.

Team boss Christian Horner was asked about Verstappen’s behavior after the race, and the 50-year-old stated that his driver had been “extremely polite” towards his Red Bull teammates. According to him, it’s understandable for a driver to feel frustrated after retiring from a race.

He has shown great generosity towards the team and all the mechanics. The impact is felt by everyone equally. The key is to analyze the cause, learn from it, and move forward. It’s truly impressive that despite the DNF, he is still leading the championship after three races. Today has taught us many valuable lessons.