Brundle: Ruthless champions like Max don’t give anything back

Triple F1 World Champion Verstappen was in the spotlight heading to his other home Grand Prix in Belgium this weekend. The aftermath of his punt on Lando Norris during the Austrian GP is still a talking point as is his radio rants and tantrums during the race in Hungary last weekend.

An angry Max is normally a very fast Max. But last Sunday the Red Bull ace let down all those - this author included - who rate him as one of F1's greats. He is better than that.

Reflecting on Verstappen's petulant attitude and recent shenanigans, former F1 driver turned Sky F1 pundit, Martin Brundle explained by recalling: "Max wouldn’t give Checo a fifth place in Brazil because he was annoyed with him, despite Checo being 'the legend’ the previous year in Abu Dhabi when he held Lewis up and almost certainly won Max his first world championship."

The 65-year-old Briton added: "If you think about the great champions, Sebastian Vettel and his multi 21, Malaysia 2013. Fernando Alonso and the 'faster than you' saga with Felipe Massa at Ferrari. Then other drivers, elbows out, making sure they’re the clear number one in the team. Michael Schumacher used to be very much like that.

"The ruthless champions don’t give anything back, won’t give anything back," insisted Brundle, who competed in 165 GPs. although never a winner he has nine GP podiums on his CV.

As for the 'live' berating by Verstappen of his Red Bull and his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiasse during the race at Hungaring, Brundle warned: "If you rinse your pit wall and strategists too much, next time, they will take a safe decision because they don't want to try an outlier or something different.

"That's won them races and championships before. I think it's better to shut the door, tear the pieces out of everyone, then say everything is fine - that goes for everybody," added Brundle.

Verstappen always delivers special performances in Belgium, homeland of his mother Sophie Kumpen, and will be looking it to making it four F1 victories in a row at the hallowed Spa-Francochamps Circuit this Sunday.