‘F*** this car!’ Verstappen explodes after British GP crash as Red Bull ignored plea
Max Verstappen fumed after crashing out of the British GP.
Max Verstappen’s miserable British Grand Prix weekend ended in fury as the Red Bull driver crashed out at Silverstone’s Stowe corner, venting his anger over team radio after losing fifth place.
It was the final blow in a bitter weekend for the four-time world champion, who had wanted to start the Grand Prix from the pit lane due to an issue with his engine but was denied by Red Bull.
Max Verstappen crashes out after Red Bull rejects pit lane start request
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
Having finished Saturday’s Sprint at Silverstone in sixth place, 16s down in just 17 laps, Verstappen had hoped to turn a page in qualifying for the Grand Prix.
But that didn’t go to plan with the Dutchman frustrated with his Red Bull Powertrains power unit.
“This engine is not responding as normal,” he complained to his race engineer GianPiero Lambaise.
Finishing seventh fastest, and eight-tenths down on pole-sitter Kimi Antonelli, he said: “what a disaster. Unbelievable.”
Verstappen made it clear that he would rather make changes to his RB22 and take a pit lane start after breaking parc ferme conditions than race the car as it was in qualifying.
“If we leave the car the same, there is little point in racing,” he told De Telegraaf.
“I prefer to change everything, because if we don’t do anything, we will continue to drive around this place. Or we will fall back one place.”
More from the British Grand Prix at Silverstone
Charles Leclerc wins British Grand Prix after late drama for Antonelli and Verstappen
2026 British Grand Prix Results – Disaster for Antonelli, Verstappen crash, Ferrari claims 1-3
Red Bull, though, opted not to change his RB22’s engine, nor his set-up, a decision that the 28-year-old didn’t agree with.
Speaking to Sky Italia on his way to the grid, he told the broadcaster to “ask the team why, as I would have done it differently.”
However, Red Bull’s decision looked to be the correct one as Verstappen made up a position off the line before hounding his teammate Isack Hadjar for fifth place.
That, though, is where his progress stopped.
“Already for a few laps now, I haven’t said anything, but the downshifts are s***,” he told ‘GP’ and Red Bull on the radio.
He later exclaimed: “You can’t tell me this deployment is normal!”
Having battled George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen was fifth when he lost control of his RB22 on Lap 48 of the 52-lap Grand Prix.
Entering Stowe, he lost the rear of the car and was unable to regain control, skidding into the gravel and out of the race.
Verstappen vented his anger.
“I’m stuck, man. F*** this car, f***ing unbelievable,” he proclaimed.
The DNF was Verstappen’s third non-score of the championship, leaving the driver down in seventh place in the drivers’ standings on 76 points. He is now 103 behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.
You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read next: FIA launches Lewis Hamilton investigation after British Grand Prix