Numerous fans and former Mercedes sports boss Norbert Haug agree: Max Verstappen’s apology on Instagram is not enough
Max Verstappen’s apology on Monday morning for his unsportsmanlike behavior at the Spanish Grand Prix was largely well received in the comments under his Instagram post. “We’re behind you, Super Max,” wrote one user, for example, adding: “With inner peace and confidence, you’ll win your fifth title.”
But elsewhere on social media, the apology was also criticized as insufficient. In a WhatsApp group, one user wrote: “That’s not an apology, that’s PR babble. For me, there’s a clear difference between admitting guilt and apologizing. Simply saying you did something you shouldn’t have done shows no remorse and has nothing to do with an apology. […]“
One opinion was that he was ”completely blown away“ by Verstappen’s action in Barcelona and ”I couldn’t imagine someone kicking someone like that. At least he apologized today.”
But Haug also thinks that the apology “is missing two very simple words at the end: ‘Sorry, George.’ And maybe he can apologize to the stewards. It shouldn’t have happened. It’s a good start, but as we all know, a nice ending makes everything better.”
“That’s why I would have expected him to say: ‘I apologize to George, I apologize for my misconduct to the FIA and to all the fans who were watching.’ He is a person who is admired, rightly so. He is without a doubt the best racing driver around today, and has been for a long time. And you have to behave accordingly,” says Haug.
This shows him in a dejected posture, classifying his attack on Russell the day before as “not okay” and explaining that the collision “should not have happened that way. I always give my all out there for the team, and emotions can run high.”
It has since emerged, including via an Instagram post by Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, that the four-time world champion had already apologized to his team during the debriefing in Barcelona on Sunday evening. After another internal discussion on Monday morning, he then posted his public apology on Instagram.
Incidentally, in a poll that went online shortly after the end of the race in Barcelona and has received around 2,500 votes so far, 56 percent of participants are against a ban for unsportsmanlike behavior. However, 44 percent answer “Yes” to the question “Should Max Verstappen be banned for his collision with George Russell in Barcelona?”
