Max Verstappen’s apparent snub of the late Ayrton Senna in Emilia Romagna has been explained. To mark the 30th anniversary of when both the F1 icon and Austrian driver Roland Ratzenberger tragically lost their lives during the Grand Prix weekend in Imola, the grid came together to honour their memories.
Organised by Sebastian Vettel, all current F1 drivers posed for photographs with t-shirts which displayed the colours of the famous helmet worn by the Brazilian, who won world titles in 1988, 1990 and 1991. However, two men strangely did not wear the shirts, with Verstappen joined by Valtteri Bottas in donning their own gear.
No reason was initially given for the pair not embracing the tribute, leaving fans mystified. However, Brazilian F1 journalist Mariana Becker has now reported that there were not enough t-shirts to go around after some were stolen from Vettel’s press officer, Britta Roeske.
Becker explained that she held discussions with Roeske, who revealed that there weren’t enough to go around once the items were taken from her. Therefore, Verstappen and Bottas were left with no choice but to wear their own clothing.
The paddock gathered before for a lap of the track in honour of the two drivers. Every F1 driver was present, as were members of the F2 and F3 grids, with Vettel shaking hands and thanking every person who took part.
At Variante Tamburello, where Senna suffered his fatal crash, the retired German star delivered a speech where he praised both Senna’s brilliance and Ratzenberger’s resolve to make it to F1. He also pointed to the safety improvements implemented since the tragic weekend in 1994, saying the changes added to the legacies of the pair.
The group also stopped at Variante Villeneuve, the corner where Ratzenberger lost his life in qualifying. And despite the rain, hoards of spectators also turned up to watch the emotional event.
It was Verstappen who ultimately went on to triumph in the Grand Prix, taking the chequered flag on Sunday from Lando Norris. Last year, he joined Senna in becoming a three-time world champion, adding to his previous championship successes in 2021 and 2022.
And the Dutchman is now odds-on to win a fourth straight crown. He’s currently 48 points clear of Ferrari man Charles Leclerc in the drivers’ standings ahead of this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
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