Max Verstappen and his race engineer engaged in a really embarrassing conversation during qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix.
The Formula 1 title leader claimed the pole position for the race in his native country but owing to a gearbox penalty, he will start from sixth on the grid for Sunday’s main event.
The Red Bull driver nearly missed the top 10 shootout and the third qualifying stage, so things could have been much worse.
Verstappen lost his calm and told his engineer Gianpiero Lambiase that they should have chosen a different course of action after finishing Q2 on the verge of tenth place.
“I should have just pushed two f laps in a row like I said,” Verstappen began.
Lambiase replied: “But you are through, Max.”
Verstappen then raged: “Yeah but I don’t give a f* mate if I’m through in P10, just f*** execution.”
However, Lambiase wasn’t having it and gently informed his driver that he was at fault.
“OK. And then when the track was two seconds quicker for your final lap and you didn’t have any energy left, how would that have gone down?” he shot back and later added: “But you tell me what you want to do in Q3 and we’ll do it, let me know, sets, fuel, run plan.”
Verstappen claimed the pole, but due to his penalty he will start sixth in Sunday’s main event, moving Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to the front of the field.
Red Bull’s Sergio Perez will join him on the front row, with Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz following closely behind.
Following his big eight-tenths-of-a-second dominance in the time sheets, Verstappen later expressed his apology to his engineer.
“Nice gap that!” he said. “At least we had a good Q3, and sorry to P for being such a so on the rant.
Lambiase then replied: “Slowly getting used to it Max,” with laughter heard in the background.
Speaking to the media after qualifying, Verstappen said: “Yeah that happens sometimes, most of it normally is blocked off.
“I think we can both be a bit vocal or emotional but we always sort it out after.”
However, when asked who was right, Verstappen said it was yet to be cleared up.
“Honestly there’s no need for me to comment on that here, I will discuss it with him.”
