Father defends Verstappen's Melbourne tantrum

Max Verstappen has found some allies - his father Jos among them - in the wake of his anger and outbursts at the Australian Grand Prix.

The teen Dutchman was widely criticised after fuming on the radio that a bungled pitstop and being stuck behind Toro Rosso teammate Carlos Sainz was "a f*cking joke".

But his father, aptly known during his own career as 'Jos the boss', defended him, "I think it's good to have aggression."

"For sure he is not the kind of driver who says only 'Yes' and 'Amen' -- his desire only to win comes from within and it's something very positive about him," he added to Globo Esporte.

And Tom Coronel, another well-known Dutch racing driver, said it is refreshing to see a personality like Max's shine so strongly in modern F1.

"Max spat fire like a dragon because he is young and wants to succeed," he told De Telegraaf newspaper. "Luckily for us he is honest and no 'commercial talker', demonstrating that he is a real guy."