Max Verstappen sent cheeky 9-word retort by BBC pundit after Las Vegas GP claim

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BBC F1 pundit Jolyon Palmer has just sent Max Verstappen a cheeky nine-word retort following the Red Bull driver disparagingly dubbing the Las Vegas GP as ‘99%’ a show.

The 26-year-old arrived in Nevada for the first Formula 1 race in Sin City since 1982 in a very bleak mood. But Verstappen ended the Las Vegas GP weekend on a high as the Red Bull star continued his record-breaking year. He has now won 16 of the past 17 Grand Prix since May.

But the overall pomp and pompous surrounding the build-up to the first actual Las Vegas GP left Verstappen downbeat. The Dutchman branded the event as ‘99% show and 1% sporting event’ ahead of the race. He also hit out at the launch ceremony that Formula 1 had put on.

Verstappen hit out at F1 for putting on a ‘show’ at the Las Vegas GP

The Las Vegas GP is the first race event that Formula 1 has taken charge of as the promoters of the event. F1’s owners, Liberty Media, took on the role and oversaw every inch of setting up an event around the streets of Sin City. It is usually a local promoter that organises a race.

But having to attend a pre-event launch ceremony this Wednesday frustrated Verstappen as Formula 1 paraded its 20 drivers to a far from sold-out Las Vegas GP audience. It featured aa host of stars including Kyle Minogue and John Legend accompanied by fireworks and lasers.

“For me, you can skip this,” Verstappen said, via quotes by The Guardian. “It’s not about the singers. We are just standing up there looking like a clown.” He also made his point about it being 99% a show and had ‘zero interest’ in the party F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali organised.

Palmer now responds to the Red Bull driver’s pre-event criticisms

But once the five red lights faded, the Las Vegas GP proved to be a frenetic 50-lap race that Verstappen won. The three-time F1 champion had to overcome an early fight against pole-sitter Charles Leclerc before storming back through the field following a five-second penalty.

The FIA stewards issued Verstappen with the penalty for forcing Leclerc off the track at the start for the lead. An early safety car period also brought Sergio Perez back into the fight for the win through strategy. And all of the action behind the leaders kept Palmer entertained.

Palmer, who entered 37 Grand Prix for Renault between 2016 and 2017, told BBC Radio 5 Live during the Las Vegas GP, ‘If this race is 99% show, I’m loving it!’. The cheeky comment was a clear reference to Verstappen’s pre-event criticisms of the show F1 tried to put on.