Max Verstappen has aimed criticism at the media following last weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, where he was involved in a controversial scenario with team-mate Sergio Perez.
Verstappen was instructed on the final lap of the race to let Perez through for position to aid the Mexican’s fight against Charles Leclerc in the Drivers’ Championship.
However, Verstappen stayed in front at the chequered flag and was heavily criticised after the race for failing to cooperate with the team order.
Red Bull issued a statement on Thursday, hitting out at the social media comments that were directed at the team following the race.
![Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri [McLaren] celebrate their 1-2 finish at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-McLaren-F1-2025-1-120x86.webp)
Verstappen confirmed that the matter in Brazil was a response to “something that happened earlier in the season”.
However, he says he is displeased with how he was portrayed in the media after the race weekend, stating both he and his family received abuse.
“We keep it between the team and myself. They [the media] don’t know the real story, so you don’t need to write the story,” Verstappen said.
“I’m just a bit fed up with all this bullshit just going around all the time. As soon as there’s something negative, it needs to be highlighted.
“It’s pretty sickening to be honest, being part of all that. At the end of the day I haven’t done anything wrong, people just misunderstood what was going on.
“It’s just incredibly disappointing that, without knowing the full facts, that people write so many bad things straight away.
“I don’t know why that is but at the end of the day you contribute to the problems social media has, by writing these things. The team knows how I work with them and I’ve always been good to the team.”
Verstappen added that Red Bull should’ve had a conversation regarding the topic much earlier in the season.
“I already explained that in Mexico and the team understood that and agreed,” he said. “We went to Brazil, I just thought we would race, try to get the best possible result.
“We had a bit of a miscommunication on Saturday. Nothing had been said to me about a potential swap. It was only on the last lap they said something on the radio.
“They should have known my response already after what I said the week before.
After that race, we had some good discussions, we put everything on the table and everything has been solved. In hindsight we should have had that conversation earlier because I’ve never been a bad team-mate.
“I have always been very helpful. The team knows that – I always put the team up front because at the end of the day it is a team effort.”
![Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri [McLaren] celebrate their 1-2 finish at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-McLaren-F1-2025-1-350x250.webp)
![Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri [McLaren] celebrate their 1-2 finish at the 2025 F1 Austrian GP](https://www.motorsportweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Lando-Norris-Oscar-Piastri-McLaren-F1-2025-1-360x180.webp)
What a Belgian Waffle. With greatest respect, this guy can’t help himself, a walking contradiction.
It’s always someone else’s fault, never his. Why are they not disclosing the reasons why he declined to let Sergio past? If he’s so concerned about media and fans drawing conclusions without knowing the facts, why not tell us the facts? You put yourself in this situation by keeping these facts secret. Once you decide to be an F1 driver and be in the limelight in the media etc, you accept that you will be judged on everything you do.
What a joke RBR and Max have become..
And what about Max’s own mother posting negatively about Perez….. goes both ways.
That remark about always being a good teammate is pathetic,he’s a good teammate if everything goes his way
This is what happens when you gift a championship. You end up with a entitled little brat who thinks the world owes him something
What an absolute idiot. If he can’t handle the response, when he behaves the way he does, in the public spotlight, whilst earning millions, go and do something else – and leave F1 to non-spoilt well behaved sportsmen.
It sure will be interesting to see what happens when redbull isn’t so dominant
I’m sure max will be back to whining and complaining how it isn’t fair
He’s a chump with no talent or respect for the league or any other drivers
That’s what happens when your dad and Horner keep telling you how great you are and you have no consequences for your actions
Grow up max your not bigger than the sport
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