Max Verstappen has jumped to the defence of British driver Chris Lulham following his mistake during the FT World Challenge Europe race in Portimao.
Max Verstappen has defended Chris Lulham following his mistake during the FT World Challenge Europe race in Portimao this weekend. Verstappen’s team saw their hopes of winning dashed when the British driver was involved in an incident with Luca Stolz which triggered a drive-through penalty.
Lulham served the penalty before handing over to the Dutchman for the last hour of the race, but he could only steer his team to a ninth-place finish. The Brit has since been subjected to online hate, but Verstappen took to social media to defend his team-mate.
He wrote: “Exciting weekend! Was very happy to be racing our GT3 car in Portimão. There were some ups and downs, but as a team we learnt a lot.
“I also feel I need to speak up about the hate and harassment Chris has received after the race. Everyone can have their opinions about what happened on track, but these personal attacks are not okay. Chris had a really strong stint and mistakes can happen.
“There’s no place for this kind of abuse in our sport or anywhere else.”
Verstappen also liked a detailed post on the endurance.media Instagram page condemning the treatment of Lulham.
The post read: “Following today’s three-hour GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup season finale at Portimão, Chris Lulham has received considerable hate on social media after an on-track contact incident resulted in a drive-through penalty.
“Mistakes and contact are part of motorsport. They happen at every level, regardless of a driver’s experience, achievements or reputation. Discussing an incident or questioning a driver’s actions is perfectly reasonable, but personal abuse is never justified.
“It is also worth remembering what Chris Lulham has achieved. One of the biggest names in esports racing, he successfully made the transition from virtual competition to real-world motorsport, winning the Radical Cup UK with an impressive 16 victories in 18 races.
“He has consistently demonstrated his pace over recent years, progressing into a full Pro driver line-up this season. His achievements reflect years of commitment, talent and development.
“One incident does not define a driver’s ability, achievements or character. As drivers, team owners, sponsors, marshals, fans, journalists and everyone else involved in motorsport, we share a passion for the same sport. Racing involves competition, pressure, difficult decisions and occasional mistakes.
“We stand firmly against hate and personal abuse directed at any driver or anyone involved in motorsport, regardless of who they are or which team they represent. Every driver deserves respect, even when things go wrong.”