F1: whistles to Max Verstappen and insults to mom, Mattia Binotto tough

“But I think most of them were aimed at the FIA,” explained Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto

The disappointing finale of the Italian Grand Prix, with the train behind the Safety Car all the way to the finish line, heated up the atmosphere in the post-race at the Autodromo di Monza. Many Ferrari fans immediately after the race and then during the podium ceremony targeted the winner, Max Verstappen, with booing and even obscene chants against the world champion’s mother.

“The atmosphere was not exceptional for me, but it is what it is,” Verstappen said resignedly after the race.

Mattia Binotto condemned the booing and chanting, but most of the protests were over the Fia’s error on the Safety Car: “Booing a driver is never nice. Max was the fastest driver on the track and deserved the win, so the booing was not good. But I think they were aimed at the FIA. The fans believe that the Safety Car could have come back in earlier, so that we would still have a couple of laps for the show and battles on the track.”