Max Verstappen took on the role of pantomime villain in Formula 1 when he started dominating in the sport, but things might have changed for the Dutchman.
At the F1 75 season launch in London earlier this year, Verstappen was ‘booed’ along with Christian Horner by the 90,000 crowd at The O2.
The FIA was reportedly unhappy with the crowd reaction at the event, given that they have been keen to stamp out any online abuse directed towards officials and people involved in motorsport.
Now that Verstappen’s dominance has stopped, with the Dutchman winning just two races this season, Guenther Steiner believes he will earn more respect from those outside of his home country when speaking on the GPBlog F1 Today podcast.
Photo by Jay Hirano/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesGuenther Steiner says Max Verstappen no longer getting booed because he’s in inferior car
It’s no secret that everyone wants to see F1 competitive, which means not having the same winners each race weekend that makes the outcome of the championship predictable.
Although McLaren are winning every race this season, there is a close battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. This was not the case at Red Bull, where Verstappen ran away with title success in 2023.
Fans would be quick to point out that the car was behind Verstappen’s success, but he’s still pulling results in a car that is nowhere near the performance he had in 2023. Steiner believes this will benefit his perception among non Dutch-speaking fans in the long run.
Steiner: “It’s a good thing that nobody can stay dominating. When Lewis won for how many years? For seven, eight years of Mercedes domination, people were getting bored. Red Bull had a few years, and now it’s time for McLaren.
“I think it’s good for Max as well that he doesn’t have the best car, that he has to fight for it, because then we see they are getting the best out of him. Max enjoys a fight; otherwise, he’d be known as the guy who won the championships in a dominant car. It isn’t worth as much as when you have to fight for something. He has won races this year in a car which isn’t the best car out there.”
Host: “I think you saw last year there was some booing during 2023 because he won everything…”
Steiner: “The booing has stopped because they know he can win in an inferior car.”
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Fans warm to Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton
What Steiner is describing can also be applied to the other two most recent multiple world champions: Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.
Hamilton was also on the receiving end of boos and jeering from crowds at the height of Mercedes’ dominance in F1, who claimed that it “fuelled” him during the title battle with Verstappen.
Vettel was also booed because he ignored team orders at Red Bull, notably when he overtook Mark Webber in the infamous ‘Multi 21’ incident at the 2013 Malaysian GP.
It was only later in their respective careers that both drivers were celebrated by fans, with Hamilton now going to Monza in front of the Tifosi as a Ferrari driver when they once booed him for winning at their home race.