Max Verstappen has accused Williams driver Valteri Bottas of not “thinking” during qualifying for the European Grand Prix in Baku.
Red Bull Racing’s Verstappen, 18, will begin Sunday’s Formula One race ninth on the grid. The Dutch teenager was left feeling “very frustrated” during a qualifying session, that without a red flag during Q3, he believes could have ended with him close to the front of the grid.
Verstappen reserved much of his frustration for Bottas after the Finnish driver twice battled with him for position into the first corner, once in Q2, then again during the dying stages of Q3 after the red flag.
Qualifying report and grid placings: Rosberg on pole for European Grand Prix in Baku as Hamilton crashes
“I think nothing was going through his head at that moment,” Verstappen said. “I went wide because he was locking up, so I was like ‘maybe he is going to hit my side, so it’s better to go wide’.
“But you lose that set [of tyres], you come in, and I had only one run in Q2. So it’s all just very frustrating.
“In Formula 1 in general you can never be best buddies, but for me it’s fine. Hopefully he learns from it.”
Red Bull chief Christian Horner echoed Verstappen’s anger, describing Bottas’ actions as “inexplicable”.
Mercedes-GP driver and championship leader Nico Rosberg will start Sunday’s race on pole, while teammate and defending champion Lewis Hamilton will begin 10th after crashing during Q3.
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