The curtailed FP2 session at the Abu Dhabi wasn’t one without drama. Three-time champion Max Verstappen was in the middle of a pit-lane scuffle with Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly that led to a pretty strong statement against the duo that allegedly blocked him, per FormulaPassion.
In the aftermath of the incident, Verstappen said, “When exiting the pit lane they had to move. They were all going slowly and I had to go to the track because I had little time. They kept getting in the way and once I tried to pass they tried to push me against the wall, and that’s clearly not good.”
“They have to move! They are all driving slow!”
Max Verstappen on overtaking cars in the pit lane 😬 pic.twitter.com/f1mVIppK1n
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) November 24, 2023
After two red flags arising out of incidents for Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg, the shortened FP2 session was resumed. Eager to get some track time under his belt, Verstappen tried overtaking Hamilton and Gasly on the pit exit.
However, the duo did not give way which eventually led to the Dutchman having to lift off to avoid contact with the walls at the pit-lane exit. The three-time champion was livid on his team radio after the incident.
That prompted David Croft to admonish Verstappen on live television. However, later on, the British broadcasting veteran changed his mind. Despite the drama, Verstappen has a clear objective set for himself for the weekend.
Max Verstappen is eyeing one last record for his 2023 season
At the end of FP2, both Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris seemingly had the edge over Max Verstappen in terms of out-and-out race pace. However, if the Dutchman can manage to win the 19th Grand Prix of his season, he will move past Sebastian Vettel on the all-time list for most victories.
With 53 wins apiece, both Verstappen and Vettel are currently third on the all-time list for most victories. When asked about the record, Verstappen said, “Of course, it’s quite a crazy number. We had a crazy, crazy year. It will end at one point, but hopefully not too soon.”
Max Verstappen has now matched Sebastian Vettel for wins in their F1 careers 🤝 pic.twitter.com/g0u3kgBRiP
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) November 19, 2023
After just one day of ‘racing‘ at the Abu Dhabi GP, it looks as though Verstappen and Red Bull’s stellar run of form might come to an abrupt end. With both Ferrari and McLaren looking strong, this could be the beginning of the end for Red Bull’s dominance with their rivals finally catching up.
According to the 26-year-old, the outcome of the race on Sunday wouldn’t bother them much. As things stand, though, the most interesting storyline is the battle for P2 between Ferrari and Mercedes with just four points separating them in the latter’s favor.
