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Max Verstappen worked hard on in Austin to earn his 50th career win in F1, but the Dutchman’s merits were obviously lost on a congregation of fans that loudly booed the Red Bull driver on the podium.
Verstappen started sixth but battled his way up the order, seizing the lead from McLaren’s Lando Norris as the race entered its second half.
The three-time F1 world champion then held off a late challenge by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to claim his 15th win of the 2023 season.
But as Verstappen walked up to the top step of the podium, a wave of jeering rose from a section of the crowd below comprised of fans that had found their way onto the main straight of the track.
The cold reception contrasted with the warm cheering directed at Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris, but Verstappen was unfazed by the reaction
“In the end, I'm the one who takes the silverware home, so all fine by me!" he told ViaPlay NL.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner reckoned that Verstappen might also face a frosty welcome in Mexico this week as the team heads to the home race of his teammate Sergio Perez.
"I don't think Max is going to get the warmest reception in Mexico! But that's water off a duck's back,” commented Horner.
“One year you are the villain, the next year you are the hero."
Horner also isn’t worried about a potentially unpleasant response to Helmut Marko’s presence next weekend at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez following the Austrian’s clumsy characterization last summer in the media of Perez’s work ethic.
While Marko publicly apologized for the derogatory comments it's unclear if Checo’s fanbase will continue to hold the Austrian’s words against him.
"I am not worried about that,” said the Red Bull Racing chief. "The team is fully behind Checo and both of our drivers.
“We love racing in Mexico, we love the Mexican fans, the passion - that stadium is unique. So we are really looking forward to it.”
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