The Las Vegas GP produced some enthralling action at the front between pole-sitter Charles Leclerc and eventual winner Max Verstappen. Even though the two had a moment of tension in turn one, it did not stop them from sharing their bromance after the race.
Verstappen managed a better start off the line despite starting from the dirty side of the grid. He then momentarily went passed the Monegasque before running wide himself. Since the Red Bull driver had all four wheels off the track himself while overtaking, the stewards decided to give the Dutchman a five-second penalty.
While Leclerc was annoyed with the move and Verstappen was not too pleased with the subsequent penalty during the Grand Prix, the two drivers yet shared a calm debrief after the race. Addressing the situation, the Ferrari driver stated that Verstappen had apologized to him.
While talking to Canal+, Leclerc said, “He told me he was too much on the inside and lost the grip, and he apologized so it’s like this. He took his penalty and he served it.” Verstappen too calmly accepted the five-second time penalty after the race.
As per the fastest pit stop, the Dutchman said, “At that moment, you’re full of adrenaline, and I didn’t agree with it, but looking back, I think it was probably the right call by the stewards.” Nevertheless, despite a potentially heated moment at Turn 1, Verstappen and Leclerc’s mature response thrilled fans and illustrated strong respect for each other.
Twitter responds to Max Verstappen’s sincere apology to Charles Leclerc
For a considerable amount of time, many have perceived Max Verstappen as a hothead for blaming others for every incident. However, the myth may need to be dispelled after the Dutchman apologized to Charles Leclerc. Following the Dutchman’s heartfelt apologies, the F1 community has been rather active on social media, sharing a variety of comments about the incredible situation.
Using both Verstappen’s and Leclerc’s names, one X user going by the handle @V3RLEC expressed how thrilled he was to see both drivers finishing the weekend on a happy note. He wrote, “Lestappen ain’t divorce. I couldn’t be happier.”
Another fan, using the handle @iiiuminateandy, expressed amazement at how drivers involved in a heated on-track moment can transition to acting normally off the track. Considering this, the fan wrote, “Idk how f1 drivers do it like if they had beef on track how can they get out of the car and act like besties they’re so much better than me bc I would be throwing hands.”
Therefore, examining the conduct of Verstappen and Leclerc reveals a considerable level of maturity as drivers. Consequently, it will be fascinating to witness their approach to the upcoming penultimate race in Abu Dhabi, with Ferrari seemingly having closed down the gap to Red Bull in the front.
