Reigning world champion Max Verstappen once found himself in the midst of a rather ugly scene between former drivers David Coulthard and Nico Rosberg at an airport in France before he became a professional racer himself.
Coulthard had his reasons for feeling some animosity towards Rosberg, who had been responsible for ruining his final race in F1 back in 2008.
Coulthard claims that he felt even more ‘aggrieved’ as Rosberg never owned up to his actions or apologised in any way.
Currently, both of them work as pundits and while the relationship is certainly better now, Coulthard discussed the story that saw a young Max witness wild scenes at an airport.
The incident took place while Coulthard was travelling back from the Japanese Grand Prix along with the Verstappen family. It was then that Rosberg said something to Coulthard which he claims ‘touched a nerve’.
“I think Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz was going from Dubai to Madrid, Max, myself and I forget who else, but it was a group of us all flying back after the race,” Coulthard said on the Formula For Success podcast.
“And we get to Nice and as we’re just waiting for our baggage, Nico said to me, ‘Hey DC, by the way, remember, everything we’ve discussed is off the record’. And it touched a nerve.
“He obviously thought that as a current driver, I was some kind of tabloid journalist and I was sneaking away all these stories we’ve been sharing.
“Anyway, it touched a nerve and my neck changed colour and I flipped my chips is the expression we would have and Max was recalling the fact that everyone just stood there in silence as I go off on one at Nico, and he’s going, ‘Well, I don’t understand’ and I’m like, ‘Well that’s the problem Nico, you don’t understand!’”
The two reportedly have a much better relationship now, having sorted out their differences after this clash.