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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Daniel Moxon

Max Verstappen makes "amateurs" comment amid rant at FIA in Sergio Perez defence

Max Verstappen took aim at Formula 1 stewards at the Hungarian Grand Prix as he leapt to the defence of team-mate Sergio Perez.

Qualifying was a disaster for Red Bull, hampering their chances for the race itself in Budapest. Verstappen was a main contender for pole until a power unit issue left him unable to set a time in Q3.

That means he will start the race from 10th on the grid, one place ahead of Perez who didn't even make it to the final part of the session. His final flying lap was blocked by Kevin Magnussen, but before that he had a time deleted and then later reinstated over a track limits kerfuffle.

The stewards initially adjudged the Mexican to have gone fully over the white line at turn five on one of his flying laps. However, video replays showed he still had at least one wheel in contact with the paint on the floor, and Red Bull successfully appealed the decision.

But the whole process still disrupted Perez, who was then unable to get a representative time on the board after being blocked by the Haas driver on his final run in Q2. Drivers are already very much irritated by picky track limits rules, and Verstappen spoke his mind after the session.

"Drivers as well last year said that we had to be more clear and strict on what we were going to chase in terms of track limits but for example, last night they started talking about turn 13, the exit," said the Dutchman. "But there is a kerb and a white line next to it which for me personally is the track edge.

Perez was hampered by both Kevin Magnussen and the stewards in qualifying (Getty Images)

"We just have so many silly little things which make it also difficult for them to police. I don't know. As drivers, we always want to help and give our advice but nothing is heard and for me, that is extremely frustrating.

"I don't want to fight with them, I just want to advise them but it seems like they don't really care and they actually, for my feeling, look at us a bit like we are amateurs and I don't think that is correct."

Track limits promises to remain a hot topic of conversation for a long time to come, amid the stewards' recent clampdown. Controversy in that area overshadowed the race weekends in Austria and France, and the same looks set to be true at the Hungaroring.

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