Max Verstappen finished the F1 Italian GP TL3 in third position, but found a different reason to complain over the radio. The Red Bull Racing driver said, in a humorous tone, that he had less power available than a Fiat Punto.
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The Dutchman appeared among the top positions throughout almost the entire session and gained performance during the practice. Verstappen closed TL3 three tenths off George Russell’s reference time, also finishing behind Lewis Hamilton.
In the final minutes, however, Verstappen spoke with his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, and showed dissatisfaction with the power available in the car. In an unusual comparison, he said over the radio: “Man, I have less power than a Fiat Punto!”.
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The message quickly caught the attention of fans on social media, who enjoyed the reference chosen by the four-time world champion. The comparison gained an even more curious context because of the location of the event, since the Italian GP takes place precisely in the country of origin of Fiat.
Even with the complaint, Verstappen finished P3 in the last free practice session, and kept Red Bull close to the front before the qualifying session in Monza. The comment about the Fiat Punto, however, ended up becoming one of the moments that drew the most attention in the session.
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