“It just doesn’t bother me”: Max Verstappen insists he’s not as hot headed as media projects him to be

At just the age of 25, Max Verstappen has already etched himself into the history books for winning two back-to-back World Championships. He’s one of the most talented drivers of his generation, and that talent was on display since day one.

However, Verstappen has also been subject to heavy criticism ever since he made his debut in the sport. The Dutch driver has been accused of being too aggressive on the track, and is often called out for being ‘hot headed’. He is known for his outbursts on the team radio during races, even when he has everything under control and is on his way to winning.

Verstappen during his Driver of the Day team radio…

“Luckily the fans have a clear mind about racing. What happened today is unbelievable. I am just trying to race. This sport is more about penalties than racing. For me that‘s not F1. At least the fans enjoyed it.”

— WTF1 (@wtf1official) December 5, 2021

The media has painted an image of Verstappen being someone who is perennially angry, and that’s something the Red Bull ace wants to clear. He insists that he’s very rarely upset by things and that his radio messages are not meant to be perceived as outbursts.

Also read: Max Verstappen claims to quit F1 if his kid aspires to be a racing driver

Max Verstappen isn’t bothered by external factors while racing

Speaking to The New York Times, Verstappen spoke about the media projects him to be angry all the time. He criticized them for the same and is adamant that he is not bothered by anything while suiting up for Red Bull.

“I don’t really get upset with many things,” the 25-year-old said. It just doesn’t bother me. I know what I have to do here. And that’s trying to drive as fast as I can on track.

Verstappen went on to say that the only time he thinks about other stuff is when he’s home. However, it does not take up a lot of time or effort for him to get his focus back on racing again. “I do find what I do is super important. But it’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t really work out.”

Angry and annoyed Max Verstappen turns on his media critics after Sebastian Vettel crash in #FrenchGP

Join the debate: https://t.co/ZKwP2ERK9r #SkyF1 pic.twitter.com/5rGaCR2XTF

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) June 24, 2018

“That’s how I’ve always seen it, but I know that once I jump in the car, I will always try to get the best out of myself, and also out of the team.”

When asked about his angry radio messages, the 35 GP winner admitted that there are extremely rare occasions where he gets frustrated and vents it out on the team radio.

Also read: “What went wrong with your careers?”- Reporter roasts Lewis Hamilton’s former teammate during interview involving Max Verstappen