"I am not here to be liked" - Max Verstappen addresses 'cheater' chants by Lewis Hamilton fans at US GP

Max Verstappen has said that the abuse from Lewis Hamilton fans does not bother him.

The Red Bull driver was subject to abuse by Hamilton fans during an event before the US GP race weekend. The drivers on stage did not hear it at the time but were made aware of that later.

Talking to DailyMail, Verstappen said that he understood why a section of fans might want to boo him.

‼️| Some F1 media’s agenda-driven reporting must be brought to light.

A good media team must report in an impartial and unbiased way, as their coverage is watched by fans of ALL teams.

Max Verstappen is right not to give @SkySportsF1 any interviews this weekend.

It could either be because they don't like him or because their favourite driver is not winning or anything else. Verstappen said that he's not in the sport to please anyone. He wants to win, and if he's doing that, he doesn't mind if fans are unruly towards him, elaborating:

"It’s not like football and all the abuse in the stadiums. It’s probably just frustration that has built up among fans of their particular driver who is not doing so well, or they don’t like me. I am not here to be liked, and it’s not going to ruin my day. I am having a great time with my team. People can say what they like, but I am here to perform."

Ride with @Max33Verstappen as he collects his sixth @pirellisport pole position of 2022 🚀

#MexicoGP #F1 https://t.co/5W0JMlasUA

Fame was never a focus point for Max Verstappen

A candid Max Verstappen said that fame is not something he wanted when he started racing or even when he was a kid. An introvert by nature, the Red Bull driver said that he hopes he can roam around the streets without getting recognised. He said:

"Fame was not anything I looked into when I was a kid. I never wanted to be known. I wish I could walk around and nobody would know me. Actually before Suzuka, I went to Tokyo and was not recognised too much. It was amazing. I can hardly think of the last time I could do that in a major city. People are always nice, and I understand they want something from me. But from my perspective, it would be nice to be left alone."

The Dutchman is on the cusp of beating the record for most wins (13) in a season, which he shares with Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher. He has three races to take the record outright, starting at the Mexican GP tonight (October 30).