Max Verstappen was spotted at the Nürburgring following the Miami GP. The pseudonym ‘Franz Hermann’ fooled no one – it was the four-time world champion sampling the famous Nordschleife with a GT3 car. Subsequently, various sources reported that Verstappen had set a track record after just a few laps. When this was later questioned on social media by a renowned GT3 driver, Verstappen fiercely defended himself.
In the run-up to the Emilia-Romagna GP, Max Verstappen caused a stir with a sharp message on X. GT3 driver and Mercedes ambassador Maro Engel had previously written that the Dutchman had not actually set a track record at the Nürburgring, as his car was set up differently. “That’s not true,” Verstappen responded fiercely. “Don’t spread rumors if you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
‘I’m not there to belittle other drivers’
After the qualification, Max Verstappen was once again asked about Engel’s comments. After all, it’s unusual for the Red Bull driver to be so vocal on social media. “It was just stupid commentary,” Verstappen responded tersely. “I went there to have fun and just do my laps. Sure, someone might shout out that I’ve set a track record, but that’s not why I’m there. I’m there primarily to learn. Other drivers then feel immediately attacked, but it’s not as if I’m there to belittle others. I just enjoy it and then you get that kind of commentary. I find that completely unnecessary. I didn’t ask for that at all.”
Verstappen was then asked why he decided to defend himself personally. “Normally I don’t care about all that, but I know him,” he emphasized. “Then I think: ‘Well, you’d better say nothing’. I happened to come across his message on my feed. Normally I don’t see that kind of stuff at all, but suddenly I see that message appear. And this while we’ve met each other in Monaco and I’ve always shown a lot of respect for drivers in the GT3 classes. So yes, I find that a bit of a shame.”
