Renault ridicules 'moaner' Max Verstappen ahead of Brazilian GP!

It's been a contentious relationship this season between Red Bull's Max Verstappen and engine supplier Renault, and the latter just added to the pair's war of words.

The Dutch driver hadn't held back this season, never missing an opportunity to lambast the French manufacturer whenever its power unit wreaked havoc on the 21-year-old's chances of achieving a good result.

But for each punch distilled by Verstappen, Renault has hit back, underlining Red Bull's own weaknesses over the course of the year.

Verstappen plays down Red Bull prospects for Brazil

Ahead of next weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix, Renault published its usual 'Travel Blog', which included - sure enough - another jab at the whining Verstappen.

"A party atmosphere is one similarity between Mexico and Brazil, with another being the sheer volume of people living in the two host cities," read the preview.

"With a combined population of 20 million, which may or may not be equivalent to the number of times Max Verstappen has moaned about something this season, these two back-to-backs are physically HUGE."

There you have it. Over to you Max for the rebuttal…

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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.