MAX VERSTEPEN was interrupted by fans during the US Grand Prix while shouting “cheater, cheater!” chanted. with the double world champion.
A video has surfaced on social media of the Red Bull man taking the podium at a fan event in Austin, Texas, ahead of this weekend’s race.
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But in the short clip, a group can be heard yelling at the Dutchman, whose team is the subject of a cost cap violation with the sport’s governing body, the FIA.
Red Bull is anxiously awaiting what kind of penalties they will face, with both sporting and financial penalties both very much on the table as they try to make a deal.
Team boss Christian Horner has maintained the team’s innocence over breaking the £114 million budget cap.
The overrun is believed to be in the region of £1.8million, while Horner was adamant that the team failed to gain a competitive advantage over their rivals.
In a leaked letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and F1 boss, Stefano Domenicali, McLaren chief Zak Brown said their overshoot “would be a fraud.“
He also lobbied the FIA to impose harsh financial and performance-related penalties on the team in the future, including lowering their budget cap next season and limiting their wind tunnel testing.
But Horner hit back at the allegationssaying, “We’ve seen that letter, which was not copied to us, and it’s hugely disappointing for a fellow competitor to accuse you of cheating.
Accusing you of fraudulent activity is shocking. For another competitor, without the facts and without any knowledge of the details, to make those kinds of accusations.
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“We are on trial for public charges since Singapore, the rhetoric of cheats, the rhetoric that we have had this huge advantage.
“The figures being circulated in the media are far removed from reality and the damage caused to the brand, our partners, our drivers and our staff…
“You can’t just make such a claim without some facts or substance. So we are absolutely shocked by the behavior of some of our competitors.”
In the first race weekend since the conclusion of the Drivers’ Championship, Verstappen was third fastest in qualifying for the American Grand Prix.
However, after a 10-place grid drop for Charles Leclerc, the Dutchman has been promoted to second on the grid, with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton also benefit and move up to third place.
Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz died this week at the age of 78, leaving the team and all of F1 in mourning.