“We don’t need to compare”: Max Verstappen on his straightforward apology to Oscar Piastri
Max Verstappen believes his straightforward apology to Oscar Piastri following their Lap 1 collision at the Abu Dhabi GP should not be compared to previous incidents involving other drivers. Speaking after the race, the four-time world champion emphasized the importance of promptly addressing the situation with the Australian driver, as it cost both a competitive result.
The clash occurred when Verstappen attempted to overtake Piastri at the start of the race, leading to contact that caused both drivers to spin. The incident resulted in Verstappen receiving a ten-second penalty, though he still managed to finish sixth, while the Melbourne-born driver ended up in tenth. The Dutchman was quick to exit his car and apologize to the McLaren driver after the incident.
Addressing comparisons to prior disputes, such as his clash with George Russell earlier in the season, the Red Bull champion insisted that each situation is unique and should be handled accordingly. He stressed the importance of resolving matters with Piastri, whom he considers a good friend, to avoid carrying unresolved tensions into the winter break.
While Verstappen refrained from commenting extensively on the penalty, he expressed relief at ending the season and valued the clarity and resolution achieved with Piastri.
Asked by Sportskeeda if he preferred clarifying it as he did with Piastri compared to the incident with Russell, Max Verstappen said:
“Yeah, but I went straight to him. We don't need to compare to anything. I just went straight to him when he jumped out of the car so that you’d immediately talk about it.”
Asked if he was surprised with the penalty, Verstappen said:
"Honestly, I don’t want to talk about it. I'm just happy that the season is over. For me, the most important thing that I had to do is just apologize to Oscar. Because I have nothing to gain, nothing to lose. I just went for it, it didn't work out. And especially also for him, you know that we both spun is not nice, you know he's a friend of mine. So I don't want to have any like weird feelings or whatever going into the break.”
Max Verstappen takes the blame for the clash with Oscar Piastri in the Abu Dhabi GP
Max Verstappen took full responsibility for his Lap 1 collision with Oscar Piastri at the Abu Dhabi GP. He admitted to misjudging his move into the corner while attempting an inside overtake after a strong launch.
The four-time world champion revealed that his friendship with Piastri heightened his guilt over the incident, which ultimately cost both drivers a chance at a strong result. Verstappen was handed a ten-second penalty for the clash but acknowledged he was surprised the stewards didn’t impose a harsher sanction.
The Dutchman emphasized the importance of addressing the matter directly with Piastri, apologizing immediately after the race. He felt it was essential to resolve the issue promptly to maintain their friendship and head into the off-season without lingering tension.
Asked to explain what happened on the opening lap, Max Verstappen said:
“The launch was good and then I tried to go on the inside and quickly realised that once I committed to it, the gap was closing. I wanted to try and get out of it, cause I naturally of course didn’t want to crash with Oscar. But unfortunately still clipped with each other. But I already apologised for the scenario. Its not what you want especially with him, he’s a great guy. Yeah it happened its just a bit unfortunate.”
Asked if Piastri could have left him more space, he replied:
“The thing was that I think when you're in that position you're focusing on the car ahead you know you commit you never really. I mean that's how I feel it as well when you start first or second you never really look behind. So I went for it and then I realized, shit he's not, he doesn't see me there so I was like trying to get out of it. But then we still clipped and of course that is on me. But I was expecting maybe 20 seconds, 30 seconds, I don't know stop and go. So it's maybe something to talk about for next time.”
Max Verstappen concluded the 2024 F1 season by clinching his fourth Drivers’ championship, finishing with a total of 437 points and nine race victories across 24 races. McLaren secured the Constructors’ championship, marking their first title since 1998, while Ferrari finished a close second, trailing by just 14 points. Red Bull Racing rounded out the top three in the standings, capping off a challenging season with notable late-season improvements.