British GP boss allays fears of Max Verstappen facing hostility after clashing with Lando Norris in Austria

British GP Chief Executive Stuart Pringle claimed that Red Bull driver Max Verstappen would not face any hostility from the British crowd at Silverstone this weekend. The three-time world champion has never been popular amongst the British faithful and may face severe hostility and criticism from fans this weekend after his collision with McLaren driver Lando Norris in Austria on Sunday.

The Dutchman and the young Brit collided with each other while battling for the race lead which resulted in both drivers getting a puncture, with Norris's proving to be terminal for his race.

Max Verstappen faced severe criticism for his defense against the 24-year-old Brit with many claiming he moved under braking one too many times. Speaking with Sky Sports' Craig Slater, Pringle assured that the 26-year-old would not face hostility at the British GP as the fans were appreciative of his 'great performance'. He said:

"I'm absolutely sure of that. Our fans are first and foremost fans of sport. What British F1 fans recognize is a great performance, and let's be honest, when Max has won in the last two or three races pre-Austria, the thing that's made the difference has been his personal performance."

"That hasn't been the quickest car, but when he's had to do the business, he's been spot on. And people have recognized that in this country and across the sport, so I have no worries about that," he added.

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F1 pundit gives his take on the Max Verstappen-Lando Norris collision in Austria

F1 pundit and former F1 driver Martin Brundle stated that Max Verstappen's defense against Lando Norris was a return of the former's younger version in the sport.

In his column for Sky Sports, Brundle reflected:

"I've said that he's calmed down, matured, and plays more the percentage game with three championships in his pocket. But that appears to have been a thin veneer as this race was very much Max 1.0, with his default driving tactics and denials resurfacing."

The F1 commentator was surprisingly also critical of the McLaren driver's race craft and called it 'gung-ho' and claimed it lacked finesse, adding:

"It must also be said that Lando's race craft was rather gung-ho. He'll need more finesse, patience, and cunning than that if he wants to start beating Max regularly to win a championship," he added.

Max Verstappen got a 10-second penalty for his involvement in the collision with Lando Norris, but it did not hinder him from finishing P5 behind Lewis Hamilton at the end of the race.

The Red Bull driver also managed to extend his lead to 81 points over the young Brit, owing to the latter's DNF in Austria, and sits on the top of the Driver's Championship on 237 points after 11 races and three Sprints thus far.