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Sky F1 driver Martin Brundle was disappointed to hear Max Verstappen being booed by fans in Abu Dhabi, declaring there was “nothing to control” his performance in 2022.
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Verstappen and Red Bull have had a difficult start to the season, suffering costly crashes in Bahrain and Australia.
The Dutchman was sure that it was impossible to fight for the championship with such low reliability, as Ferrari dominated in the early stages.
Red Bull quickly addressed these reliability issues and made the necessary adjustments to avoid a retirement before the end of the year.
Ferrari’s championship chances dwindled over the course of the season as a series of strategic mistakes combined with a lack of reliability took away Red Bull’s reign.
Verstappen has played at an exceptional level all season, showing great pace and avoiding many crucial mistakes.
That doesn’t mean Verstappen’s second title is in doubt, though, as Red Bull are believed to have gone over budget for 2021.
While Verstappen obviously had no control over it, Red Bull’s finances did little to improve the team’s PR.
Martin Brundle, however, expressed his displeasure at such taunts:
“I was so sad to hear some hiccups from Max at the end. We’ve already experienced that with Schumacher, Vettel, Nico Rosberg and others.
“For many decades, fans have been very upset about what is happening or what has happened, for various reasons.
“Red Bull and Verstappen may have wiser performances behind the cost barrier in Mexico and Brazil, but nothing can stop their dominant performances this season.”
Brundle is right about the indifference of Formula 1, which is often focused on those race wins and championships.
Verstappen probably won’t bother with that irony, seeing it as an almost inevitable part of success.
Brazil’s refusal to follow the team’s orders may be fresh in the minds of the Abu Dhabi fans, which could prompt a backlash.
In any case, Verstappen will try to maintain this strength next year.
