Max Verstappen started the weekend at the Las Vegas Grand Prix criticising Formula 1’s new poster race as being “99% show and 1% sporting event”.
He ended it standing on the top of the podium in an Elvis-themed race suit having sung “Viva Las Vegas” on the slowing-down lap.
Verstappen’s criticisms were for a long time the focus of a race meeting that veered from chaos to thrilling spectacle. But the longer the weekend went on, the more they faded into the background and the qualities of the event came to the fore.
It would be wrong to say that Verstappen had been entirely won over. But after winning the best race of the season in a thrilling fight at the front with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez that involved five on-track changes of the lead, he had certainly toned down his views.
“I always expected it to be a good race,” he said. “That has never been my issue. But today was fun. That is the only thing I want to say about it. I hope everyone enjoyed it.”
Had Verstappen been “got at” by F1’s bosses, who were among those who felt his criticisms had gone too far and been ill-judged?
His team boss Christian Horner said the Dutchman “reflects that it is an important event for F1, and the race and the way it delivered today is something he enjoyed.”
Credit: http://bbc.com
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