Max Verstappen insisted that Ferrari fans booing him during the race did not affect his performance at the Italian GP.
Verstappen won his fifth consecutive race of the 2022 season, and can now mathematically clinch the World Title at the very next round in Singapore. His lead over Charles Leclerc is now at 116 points with just six races to go.
Ferrari fans look forward to the Italian GP every single year, with Monza being the Maranello-based outfit’s home race. The Tifosi turn up in tens and thousands to passionately support the most successful team in F1 history. The last Ferrari driver to win a race here was Leclerc himself in 2019.
1️⃣1️⃣ victories in 2022 for @Max33Verstappen 💪 #GivesYouWings pic.twitter.com/cFU8O2slmm
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) September 11, 2022
The home fans had to wait for two years without a Ferrari winner in Monza and unfortunately, the wait continues. Verstappen drove spectacularly to take home yet another comfortable win. Leclerc did finish P2, but the Tifosi wasn’t happy with Verstappen winning. Throughout the weekend, they let the 30 GP winner know that they were against him.
Verstappen was viciously booed on all three days, but he insisted it barely affected him.
Fans boo because they are passionate, says Max Verstappen
Verstappen fans are incredibly passionate about him. His fans are popularly known as the Orange Army and they travel to multiple races across the world where they voice their support for the Red Bull ace. Often, they too have been accused to booing rival drivers. In 2021, they were heard booing Lewis Hamilton in almost every single race.
As a result, Verstappen understands why the fans booed him in Monza. In spite of that, he called them out and accused the Tifosi of wanting to spoil his weekend. However, he does not want to let them affect him in any way whatsoever, and he insisted that his performance was not impacted in any way or form.
Max on the booing: “I am here to win the race, which we have done. Some people of course can‘t appreciate that. But that‘s because they are a passionate fan of a different team. It is what it is. It’s not going to spoil my day. I am just enjoying the moment!”#ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/Dc71gkyG6d
— tami. (@Vetteleclerc) September 11, 2022
“I am here to win the race, which we have done,” he said in the post-race interview. “Some people of course can‘t appreciate that.”
“But that‘s because they are a passionate fan of a different team. It is what it is. It’s not going to spoil my day. I am just enjoying the moment!”
Also read: Lewis Hamilton aims dig at Max Verstappen’s 2021 title after the Italian GP
