Why Formula 1 fans hate Max Verstappen's driving style

Max Verstappen is undoubtedly one of Formula 1's most talented drivers. Since his debut in 2015, he has impressed with his speed, technical skills and ability to get the most out of his car.

When he made his debut in Formula 1 in 2015 at just 17, he was the youngest driver ever to do so. In 2016, he went to the Red Bull Racing team, where he is still racing currently.

Max Verstappen has a huge fan base around the world. He is admired for his achievements and his personality off the track, but there are also Formula 1 fans who find him very controversial. But why?

One of the main reasons why some Formula 1 fans don't like Verstappen is his driving style. According to motorsports.com, Verstappen is known for racing aggressively and taking risks when overtaking other drivers.

This can sometimes lead to great results, but it can also cause accidents. Some fans think the way he races is great, while others find it unnecessary and irresponsible, according to racingnews365.

At the beginning of his career, Verstappen got a lot of criticism for his driving style. Not only the public, but other drivers too, described him as reckless. Kimi Räikkönen, for example, who was driving for Ferrari at the time, was very annoyed with him after the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix, NOS reported.

The driver said he had been blocked by Verstappen when he tried to pass him. "I almost crashed into him and had to apply full brakes. Sooner or later his driving style is going to cause a huge crash", he told the media, according to NOS.

Max Verstappen's car was damaged by the on-track incident. A good result was not possible anymore at the time, but Verstappen felt the other drivers had ruined his race. He then told NOS that he would not move aside nicely for them and would rather drive them off the track.

These days, Max Verstappen still drives aggressively, but with fewer mistakes on the track. According to 'De Volkskrant', he is driving much better because he has been in Formula 1 for much longer.

Max Verstappen believes making mistakes is part of the game. In an interview with 'De Volkskrant', he said: "Sometimes you have to drive aggressively and sometimes not. Making mistakes is just part of it. If you don't want this to happen, you should just put a robot in the car."

He does say, nevertheless, that he is learning from it. "When you drive a race car at the limit, you can easily make a mistake. It's important to learn from that."

Verstappen is nevertheless still often accused of driving aggressively. According to gptoday.net, however, he does drive aggressively, but in a controlled manner. Moreover, people are noticing that he has started driving more maturely, which was reported by former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer in a column for Formula1.com.

Something else that might make Max Verstappen less popular with some fans is an incident with a teammate on the track.

At the 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix, as reported by NOS, Max Verstappen was asked to let his teammate Sergio Pérez pass him to allow the Mexican to score more points and increase his chances of finishing second in the championship.

Verstappen, however, did not do this. He did not let his teammate pass him, and according to NOS, fans were shocked by this.

According to NOS, Verstappen was criticized by his team after the race for his behavior and was told that it was important to work together as a team to obtain the best result. Pérez also reacted disappointed, saying it was important to help and support each other as teammates.

NOS reported that Red Bull came with a statement after the incident. They defended Verstappen and admitted mistakes had been made, but also said that there was no pre-agreed strategy, which is why Verstappen did not let his colleague pass him.

Verstappen later explained to NOS what was going on. He told in an interview that something had happened in a previous season, but he did not specify what exactly. He did say, however, that he had discussed it thoroughly with his team.

In the end, "miscommunication" turned out to be the reason. Verstappen told NOS that he had not been informed about a position swap during the race. "It was only during the last lap that something was communicated about it, and the rest of the team knew what my reaction would be. I had also discussed this with them a week before."

He says he is annoyed to be perceived as someone who is not a team player. "That is not the case at all. I never hide anything and I am always honest and open."

Verstappen's fans will probably continue to admire him for his speed and technical skills, while others might not appreciate his driving style and therefore not be so fond of him. At the end of the day, there are probably always going to be different opinions about the F1 driver.