Christian Horner has clarified that the term “childish” used by Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero ‘GP’ Lambiase, during the Hungarian Grand Prix was not aimed directly at the driver. The clarification comes after Verstappen’s dramatic clash with Lewis Hamilton, which resulted in a double lock-up and a frustrating finish for the Red Bull driver.
The Incident and Radio Exchange
During the race, Verstappen experienced a double lock-up at Turn 1 while attempting to overtake Hamilton. This collision sent Verstappen’s car airborne and ultimately dropped him to fifth place at the finish. Following the incident, there were tense exchanges between Verstappen and Lambiase over the team radio.
Verstappen, visibly agitated, complained, “He moved under braking!” referring to Hamilton. Lambiase responded with, “I’m not even going to get into a radio fight with the other teams, Max. We’ll let the stewards do their thing. It’s childish on the radio. Childish.”
Horner’s Clarification
Addressing the situation post-race, Christian Horner clarified that Lambiase’s comment was not a direct critique of Verstappen. Instead, Horner explained that Lambiase was referring to the broader context of complaints about penalties from other teams.
“GP wasn’t referring to Max directly. He was commenting on the overall radio chatter and complaints about penalties, which can be seen as childish,” Horner said. “There’s a lot of goading for penalties from other teams, and the stewards are listening to the radio.”
Team Dynamics and Future Discussions
Horner also acknowledged that Verstappen and Lambiase, who have been working together for eight years, often have straightforward and candid communications. He described their relationship as akin to an “old married couple,” with both parties expressing their opinions openly.
After the Hungarian Grand Prix disappointment, Horner emphasized that any further discussions about the race and team strategy would be handled privately. “Max was understandably frustrated,” he said. “We’ll address any issues between Max and GP behind closed doors. The team is focused on improving performance, and we’re all working hard to make progress.”
In summary, while the radio exchange highlighted some tension, Horner reassured that it was not a personal attack but rather a reaction to the wider competitive environment and ongoing race strategies.
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