Max Verstappen: Christian Horner defends Red Bull driver after push

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Max Verstappen and Esteban Ocon
The collision on lap 44 led to Verstappen angrily confronting Ocon post-race

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has defended Max Verstappen after he pushed rival driver Esteban Ocon, saying: "Drivers aren't robots and we don't want them to be."

Verstappen confronted Force India's Ocon following Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix after a collision between the pair cost the 21-year-old Dutchman victory.

Governing body the FIA has ordered him to do "two days of public service".

"I don't think it got out of hand," said Horner.

"Through the irresponsible actions of a backmarker we've lost a grand prix, and it just wasn't handled at all well by Ocon. It was totally irresponsible to be racing Max.

"Of course we don't condone violence in any way but you have to understand that emotions are running very high."

Verstappen was on course for victory when backmarker Ocon left his car on the inside of the Red Bull at the Senna S and pitched it into a spin.

The incident cleared the way for Lewis Hamilton to secure the 10th victory of his championship-winning campaign, with Verstappen finishing second.

Ocon was hit with a 10-second stop-and-go penalty, the harshest punishment available to the stewards other than disqualification.

"We have seen in other sports that there is interaction between players, and it's down to the referee to step in and manage that," said Horner.

"What I don't know is what words were exchanged, and how Max was antagonised."

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735 comments

  • Comment posted by GreenGrass, at 22:28 12 Nov 2018

    Like Hamilton suggested, let him pass, max you still win race. Ocon not breaking the rules, wants to impress, nothing to lose Max needs to learn to think more.

  • Comment posted by cj, at 22:27 12 Nov 2018

    LH summed it up perfectly, “you had more to lose than him” yet he still drove across him trying to run him off the track. Petulant immature and now his boss is trying to condone it!

  • Comment posted by The_Umpire_Strikes_Back, at 22:16 12 Nov 2018

    Max is a grade A muppet. Very poor of Horner to condone his infantile strop.

  • Comment posted by munchie, at 22:19 12 Nov 2018

    Horner has history condoning bad behaviour.
    He stuck by Seb when he disobeyed team orders, and has never criticised Max's questionable driving/defending.

  • Comment posted by Duncan, at 22:22 12 Nov 2018

    Good grief! As if this situation couldn’t be handled any worse then CH put his by feet right in it!
    All day long there was great overtakes at the very corner without incident! As soon as MV is involved it all turns sour!
    RBR need to take a long hard look at themselves! Shocking the RBR gave acted in this way. It’s as bad as the incident on track.
    They all need to grow up!

  • Comment posted by Jjohn, at 22:28 12 Nov 2018

    Horner has always been weak when it comes to controlling or disciplining his drivers. He was useless during the Vettel Webber issues and handled this badly too. Verstappen couldn’t have sent a clearer message over the radio after the race re his intentions for Econ. That is the pt Horner needed to get involved and calm the kid down pre confrontation. Not wait for the incident then try to defend it

  • Comment posted by Muzza, at 22:20 12 Nov 2018

    This is not a good show for the Red Bull boss. I think he holds the minority view on this issue.

  • Comment posted by I Am That I Am, at 22:19 12 Nov 2018

    Honer should know better. Monster in the making

  • Comment posted by GoldFinger, at 22:24 12 Nov 2018

    Max was understandably angry but his reaction negated it for most! Brattishness is one thing but guaranteed next time he comes across Esteban on the track this will be uppermost in his mind- this is part of his problem. Lewis called it right.

  • Comment posted by bcmarley, at 22:38 12 Nov 2018

    I actually thought it rather amusing that somebody finally put little lord Verstapen in his place. He has got away with some very questionable moves this year and then has the gumption to throw the dummy out of the pram when a mere underling back marker had the gaul to do what he is paid to do ....... race. Oh CH "l'll you what I want what I really want...

  • Comment posted by U17048389, at 22:27 12 Nov 2018

    No Robots? yes agree F1 needs characters, too many dull walking bill-boards currently in F1, but you need characters you can actually start to like or admire and I'm sorry but MV is not one of them until he grows up.
    OK he is quick but he needs to learn his race craft. At the moment he is just a petulant, arrogant spoil brat with no class. Oh and by the way, RBR treatment of DR? again no class...

  • Comment posted by DuckBilledPlatyGoose, at 22:27 12 Nov 2018

    Baby driver is destroying the great value added to F1 by Dietrich.
    He's disrespectful to engine partners, fellow drivers and anybody that doesn't praise him.
    KVYAT was given the opportunity to cool off after 2 ibcidents, and a fraction of the attitude shown by mv.
    I think he's the single biggest threat to safety in f1.

  • Comment posted by UK-Minardi-Fan, at 22:36 12 Nov 2018

    Horner and Marko just as despicable as Max. Condoning violent behaviour is never acceptable.

    Time for a change of management at the gut-rotting-drink racing team

  • Comment posted by Stop collaborate and listen, at 22:33 12 Nov 2018

    "Drivers aren't robots and we don't want them to be."

    Nor are they thugs, and we shouldn't expect them to be.

  • Comment posted by C-Wyndham, at 22:43 12 Nov 2018

    CH: "What I don't know is what words were exchanged, and how Max was antagonised."...

    Verstappen said "I hope I can't find him in the paddock" during the cool down lap - clearly he was going to go after Ocon regardless

    Unacceptable behaviour by Verstappen & embarrassing of CH to defend him so blindly.

  • Comment posted by Grenville, at 23:18 12 Nov 2018

    Back marker or race leader, both should get the same treatment, and if there is a car alongside on a bend, it must be given room or risk a collision.
    That's racing, surely.
    Horner is saying a "backmarker", even with a quicker car, must stay behind.
    That is not racing.

  • Comment posted by Mindrago, at 23:02 12 Nov 2018

    Max was always low in my estimations, C Horner just sank even lower. How he could condone what Max tried to do to Ocon in the weigh room is ridiculous. Saying that Ocon was lucky he didn’t get worse should cost him his job.

  • Comment posted by CTT, at 22:34 12 Nov 2018

    We may not want robots out there but we don't want irresponsible immature idiots out there either. Carrying on like Verstappen did, and I'm talking more about the aftermath push & shove business, demonstrates his immaturity. Yet more importantly, from a race aspect, his shutting the door on Ocon likewise demonstrates poor judgement on Verstappen's behalf. I say he's got a lot of maturing to do

  • Comment posted by robl, at 23:03 12 Nov 2018

    No reasonable person would defend Verstappen's actions - his road rage attack should concern everyone not least his employers. A better response (even if insincere) would be "Max deeply regrets his actions towards Octan after the race and realises that they were unacceptable." Still looks like all publicity is good publicity works for Red Bull - tells me all I need to know about its brand values.

  • Comment posted by jeroen, at 22:20 12 Nov 2018

    Occon wrong for the accident
    Max should learn from LH that you dont need to win each battle to can win a war
    Max wrong to react like this (even many will understand why)

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