No apology for Verstappen’s offensive slur

MAX VERSTAPPEN has called one of the stewards who demoted him at last weekend’s American Grand Prix a highly derogatory term and has refused to apologise for it. The Red Bull driver was stripped of third place for gaining an advantage by going off-track as he passed Kimi Raikkonen on the last lap. Verstappen has called an official — believed to be senior Australian steward Garry Connelly — an ‘idiot’ and, in his native tongue on Dutch TV, a ‘mongol’ — an outdated reference to someone with Down Syndrome. Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix, Verstappen said: ‘I could have used different words. But I was angry because the decision was not right. You also have to understand my point of view — but, of course, the words were not correct. I was not trying to offend anyone, otherwise I would have named him.’ The FIA will take no action against Verstappen.