Max Verstappen shrugs off Monza boos after Italian Grand Prix victory

Ferrari fans booed the Dutch driver as he celebrated winning the Italian Grand Prix and took another step towards winning a second successive F1 world title

Max Verstappen, Red Bull driver, looks on after victory (Getty Images)

Max Verstappen shrugged off the boss from Ferrari fans after winning the Italian Grand Prix on the tifosi’s home turf.

The Dutch driver secured another 25 points in his bid to defend his F1 world title with victory at Monza.

But the Ferrari fans were not happy as their lead driver, Charles Leclerc, had his chase stopped by a safety car intervention.

“Well, the atmosphere for me was not amazing. But it is what it is,” Verstappen said in the post-race press conference. “When it happens, of course, everyone speaks to me about it, with the booing and stuff.

“But at the end of the day, I’m here to try and win the race which [I have] done. Some people, of course, they can’t appreciate that, but that’s because they are very passionate fans of a different team. And this is what it is. It won’t spoil my day. I’m just enjoying the moment.”

A disappointed Leclerc said that booing was not welcome in Formula One, and also dismissed concerns after flares were thrown on to the track.

“I think nobody likes booing and I think it shouldn’t happen. That’s it,” Leclerc said. “But then for the flares, personally I think it’s OK when it’s used maybe before the formation lap or laps to the grid or something.

“But then sometimes during the race, it can be a bit confusing for us. But it’s the way it is. After the chequered flag there was a little bit, but to me this was not too disturbing.”

The way the race panned out, finishing neutralised under a safety car, brought back memories of the Abu Dhabi GRand Prix last season when Verstappen won his first title in controversial circumstances. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, furious after Abu Dhabi, said the FIA got it right this time.

“There are rules and they are written down and from my perspective, whether I’m Abu Dhabi traumatised or not, these rules have been followed to the dot today,” said the Austrian, who had George Russell third and Hamilton fifth.

“If one is not happy with the regulations, and you want to have a big bang show and two laps of racing and mayhem, I think I’m absolutely up for it. But then we need to change the regulations.”