Father claims some FIA officials ’don’t like Max’

Max Verstappen’s father thinks there are Formula 1 officials who "don’t like" his son.

A storm is still raging after the triple world champion received two 10-second penalties, and two penalty points on his super license, for his wheel-to-wheel battles with championship rival Lando Norris in Mexico.

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher said of the Dutchman: "He drives like a street dog.

"I suspect that Max wanted to take Norris out on lap 8."

Max’s father Jos admits to De Telegraaf newspaper that the second move on Norris was "perhaps a bit too much".

"You can talk about it for a long time, but in the end it doesn’t make any difference," Verstappen senior added. "Max will drive the way he wants.

"He has to do this, because the car is not good enough, and he’s doing everything he can to win the title. And Max is not going to adjust his driving style just because there are a few stewards who don’t like him."

Jos is clearly referring to Johnny Herbert, who has often been the former driver on the FIA stewards’ panel at races recently, but also Tim Mayer - whose father Teddy was involved in McLaren’s earliest days in Formula 1.

"The FIA should take a good look at the composition of the stewards, and who they put there, and whether there is any conflict of interest - for example, former drivers who have more sympathy for certain drivers or teams," Verstappen senior added.

Jos insists, however, that his son’s biggest problem is actually not the stewards - but the 2024 Red Bull.

"You could see that in the performance of his teammate," he said. "Even Haas was faster than Red Bull in this race."

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said the team will not be appealing Verstappen’s penalties.

Former F1 driver Christijan Albers thinks the FIA should basically leave the policing of on-track behaviour to the drivers.

"The people who keep doing this just need to be driven off the track," he said.