Max Verstappen, ear-pulling from Stefano Domenicali

An earful for the world champion.

Max Verstappen is leading the 2023 Formula 1 World Championship, having won the 2021 and 2022 ones. Despite this, however, there has been no shortage of even quite severe criticism from him of some of the Circus’ innovations, complete with the threat of abandonment. And it was precisely these that ended up in the crosshairs of Stefano Domenicali, who launched a criticism of the Red Bull Dutchman.

Domenicali focused in particular on Verstappen’s remarks about the Sprint Race, which could even convince him to leave Formula 1. “I don’t want to be in a society where you can’t say what you think,” Domenicali, now number one at Liberty Media, told the ‘Daily Mail,’ but sometimes drivers should remember that they are part of a bigger picture, and that it’s not the case to be selfish.

“Before the last race in Miami, I talked to Max about the problems he thinks Formula 1 has,” Domenicali continued. “Sometimes getting out of our comfort zone is problematic, but you can never sit back. He assured me that he loves the sport, he was born in the car, and I think he will be here longer than me.”