He's fast, fierce and ferocious, and will pounce at you like a tiger if you rub him the wrong way.

Max Verstappen's behavior after the Brazilian GP when he came to blows with Esteban Ocon, who deprived him of a race win, is still debated.

The last one to chime in is Max's father, Jos Verstappen, a man who has built himself a bit of a reputation as a ballroom brawler in his private life.

"Maybe what Max did was not good," said Jos, speaking to De Telegraaf. "But I fully understand what he did.

"He was robbed of victory and then Ocon so stupidly stood there and grinned."

The former F1 driver rightly insisted however that the spat shouldn't be blown out of proportion.

"We should not make it bigger than it is. Football players do that to each other every weekend and Max is professional enough not to beat up anyone.

"I think he was really holding back but it was good that people were standing around him," Verstappen snr added.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

Recent Posts

Sebastian Montoya steps up to Formula 2 with Prema

Sebastian Montoya, the 19-year-old son of former Formula 1 star Juan Pablo Montoya, is set…

6 hours ago

Sauber finds its ‘Northern Star’ under Binotto’s leadership

When former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto took on the role of Chief Operating Officer…

7 hours ago

Leclerc hails a season ‘without missed opportunities' in 2024

Charles Leclerc concluded the 2024 F1 season with a sense of satisfaction, the Ferrari driver…

9 hours ago

Coulthard sounds alarm over FIA president’s rift with F1 drivers

Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard has voiced his dismay at FIA president Mohammed Ben…

10 hours ago

The rapid rise and fall of Super Aguri in F1

Super Aguri's application to join Formula 1 became a reality on this day in 2005,…

12 hours ago

Ferrari's 2024 Season: Marked improvement and a fight to the finish

Ferrari roared back into contention in 2024 to deliver their strongest season in years, thanks…

13 hours ago