Apex Scores Lite Apex Scores Lite flag
back Back
Max Verstappen responds after Ferrari drivers deride ‘nonsense’ Hadjar claim
Max Verstappen celebrates pole position after beating the Ferraris
Max Verstappen celebrates pole position after beating the Ferraris

Max Verstappen agrees with Charles Leclerc that suggestions the Red Bull driver would’ve won the Singapore Grand Prix by a bigger margin over Leclerc had he been driving the Ferrari are “nonsense”.

Verstappen took pole position at the Marina Bay circuit, where he was 0.05s faster than Leclerc, and went on to win the Grand Prix by seven seconds from the Monegasque driver.

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc dismiss Ferrari pace debate

Isack Hadjar has since claimed that, had his Red Bull teammate been driving the Ferrari, his advantage would’ve been bigger.

“I think if you put Max in the Ferrari, he would have won the race with more margin. That’s my opinion. In Singapore, I think [Ferrari] was the fastest car,” Hadjar said.

Leclerc scoffed at his comment, suggesting it was “nonsense to start saying these kind of things.”

He added: “I mean, Isack has no idea what kind of car we drive, and I have no idea what kind of car he drives.”

Lewis Hamilton simply said that he and Hadjar had “different opinions” on the matter.

Asked about his teammate’s comment when he spoke with the media at the Circuit of the Americas, Verstappen said too much was being made of Hadjar’s comments.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Verstappen said. “Fun debate.

“I mean, we’re stressing about something that doesn’t matter, right?

“He said it, but okay well, let him say that, right? I mean, you shouldn’t always then need to put it forward to the other driver or the other team, like whatever.

“Like, you’re constantly trying to agitate people with it instead of just letting it be. That’s what I normally do.

“I’m like, whatever. Life goes on. Tomorrow is another day.”

Asked whether he agreed that Ferrari was quicker, he replied: “They were very fast.”

But quizzed on whether it was a “special” lap to beat the Scuderia in qualifying, the four-time world champion agreed with Leclerc that the debate is “nonsense”.

More from the United States GP

“It was a good qualifying lap,” he said. “I’m never going to say that it’s anything special because it can always be better.

“But yeah, I felt good. I felt good with my car.

“It’s impossible for me to know or say how good a Ferrari is because I’ve not driven that car.

“That’s why these debates are just nonsense.”

You may like

Lewis Hamilton forced into retirement decision as Max Verstappen slams unacceptable US GP

Express 1 day ago

Channel 4 F1 highlights today: How to watch the 2026 US Grand Prix FREE in the UK

gpfans.com 1 hour ago

Sky Sports pundit slams Billy Loughnane ride in scathing verdict - 'Not bumper cars'

Mirror 2 hours ago

Anthony Davidson calls out Charles Leclerc’s ‘nonsense’ driving after George Russell escapes penalty

f1oversteer.com 3 hours ago

Max Verstappen wins chaotic F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia after rain causes farcical scenes

The Guardian 2 weeks ago

How Antonelli recovered from a seat issue to get within a tenth of Leclerc on title weekend

gpblog.com 4 hours ago

Bernie Ecclestone has changed his mind about Max Verstappen being a top five F1 driver of all time

f1oversteer.com 21 hours ago

Billy Monger refuses to give up on F1 dream nearly ten years after losing both legs in horror crash

Mirror 5 hours ago