Max Verstappen issues ‘stay home’ warning as firm ‘be awake’ radio message explained

Max Verstappen runs his hand through his hair

Max Verstappen explained his “be awake” Red Bull team radio request after chasing crucial information, claiming he “can just stay home” if people switch off.

The Italian Grand Prix proved a further blow for Red Bull, the team which has seen its Formula 1 dominance evaporate, with Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Perez consigned to the fourth row at Monza. P6 would prove the extent of Verstappen’s recovery come race day.

Max Verstappen explains ‘be awake’ Red Bull radio message

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher and Sam Cooper

When speaking with Viaplay after the race, a specific team radio message was brought up to Verstappen, where he had issued a wake-up call to Red Bull.

“Can people in the background please be awake? I know this is a s*** position, but it’s important,” he had said.

Explaining that message, Verstappen said it was about a setting change, his battery drained as he defended from Lando Norris, with Verstappen having to ask the team if he could go back to the “quicker setting” – which he could – rather than them telling him to.

“In the race my battery was relatively empty, while fighting Lando of course,” he said. “Then I had to go to a certain setting.

“At some point, they have to tell me when I can go back to the quicker setting. I ask: ‘Can I go back?’ ‘Oh yeah, yeah you can.’

“Then I thought, ‘What is this? You guys have all the data the entire time, you guys can exactly see when I can make those steps. I shouldn’t have to ask when I can go back.’

“We might be in no man’s land, but you still have to be on top of things. Otherwise, I can just stay home.”

More Red Bull headlines from Monza

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Ferrari would spring a one-stop surprise on McLaren to win the Italian GP with Charles Leclerc, delighting the tifosi, but with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Norris completing the podium, both teams have ramped up the pressure on Constructors’ Championship leaders Red Bull.

McLaren are now only eight points behind and Ferrari 39. Norris meanwhile has further trimmed Verstappen’s Drivers’ Championship lead to 62 points.

And despite his Drivers’ title lead remaining healthy, Verstappen – without a win since the Spanish GP in June – claimed winning either title is “not realistic” for Red Bull on this form.

“At the moment, both championships are not realistic,” he told media including PlanetF1.com.

Eight rounds of the F1 2024 campaign remain, with Baku the next stop for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

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