Does a duel for the championship benefit MotoGP?

Racers weigh in on the showdown between Bagnaia and Martin

In the 2024 MotoGP championship race, although four racers still have a chance to win based on the numbers, Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia are seen as the real frontrunners.

Before the Thai Grand Prix in Buriram this weekend, Martin is ahead of Bagnaia by 20 points in the championship race, with only three rounds remaining.

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For the second consecutive year, Bagnaia and Martin are competing against each other for the championship.

Throughout the initial 17 races, the competition between the two has seen its ups and downs, with Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo viewing the race in Thailand as crucial for both competitors.

"To tell you the truth, I'm completely out of the loop regarding what's going on, since they are two competitors whom we haven't been paying attention to, judging by their lap times and the speed they're maintaining," he expressed on Thursday at Buriram.

"Our focus is primarily on the top five, as they consistently rank within the top three."

"Thus, we have two formidable competitors who have battled for the title in consecutive years."

Martin is ahead by 20 points, yet there are still three races remaining where over 100 points can be earned.

"Thus, it appears we're at a point where it's difficult to make any definitive statements. It seems this race holds significant importance for both competitors."

Initially, it seemed like the season would feature a fierce competition among four riders: Martin, Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, and Enea Bastianini. However, as events have unfolded, it's now turning into a repeat of the 2023 contest.

However, Franco Morbidelli, who is on the same Pramac team as Martin, doesn't perceive a problem with the situation. He believes that a direct competition among the top riders is, in fact, a more favorable scenario for MotoGP.

"Would adding more competitors make the race more exciting?" Morbidelli pondered. "It's hard to say, as the one-on-one battles tend to be the most thrilling. Pecco and Jorge have indeed been top contenders both this year and the previous one."

"Thus, they are worthy of their struggle and both merit the title, making it an exciting contest for the fans to witness."

"Additionally, due to the presence of competitors, notably Marc and Enea, who are capable of joining the fray.

"I also prefer to be positioned centrally, and recently, I've succeeded in achieving a central position during the initial laps of the race."

"In my opinion, the direct confrontation is the ultimate showdown. It's definitely more thrilling for MotoGP, without a doubt superior to having a predetermined winner, and even surpasses the excitement of four riders vying for the title, because nothing beats the intensity of a one-on-one battle."

Alex Marquez presented a fascinating theory suggesting that in a rider market lacking significant movement or bike exchanges, such as the one anticipated for 2025, there won't be substantial shifts in the competition for the championship title.

"When questioned about whether a duel for the championship between two competitors was beneficial for MotoGP, the Gresini racer affirmed, 'I believe so.'"

"It's to be expected. Given that they're both riding the top bike available in the competition, it's natural for both riders to progress."

"The upcoming year promises potential shifts as one rider is switching brands, alongside several others who are also transitioning between manufacturers and teams."

"Thus, it's going to change, yet given our current two-year agreement, I believe a trend will emerge."

"If we see similar progress as this year over the next two years, it could significantly alter the championship landscape. However, without such movement, the championship scene is unlikely to change much from one year to the next."

Aleix Espargaro opines that the competition “would improve” with the inclusion of additional riders, although he acknowledges that a direct duel is preferable to a single dominant victor.

"The Aprilia rider expressed, "I believe it's quite alright."

"Clearly, having a more competitive championship would be ideal, but I believe I favor this situation over having a predetermined winner even before the season begins."

"Clearly, having three or four individuals vying for the championship adds intrigue, but I believe it's quite challenging."

"Pecco and Martin have significantly outperformed others this year, making them truly deserving."

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2024 Thai MotoGP: A Summary of Friday's Practice Sessions

Review the practice sessions from Friday at the 2024 Thai MotoGP.

Heading into the weekend's races in Thailand, with only three rounds remaining, Jorge Martin is ahead by 20 points in the championship standings over the current champion, Francesco Bagnaia.

Marco Bezzecchi recorded the quickest time during Friday's initial practice session.

Owing to the high temperatures and the pressure exerted on the tyres, Buriram is one of the locations where Michelin opts for its more rigid rear tyre designs.

The forecast predicts high temperatures, dampness, and dry conditions for Friday and Saturday, followed by the possibility of thunderstorms on Sunday.

Training starts at 3pm (9am in the UK).

This concludes our live updates for today, however, stay tuned to Crash.net this Friday for continuous updates and the most recent developments from the Buriram paddock.

Tune back in with us on Saturday, starting at 4:10am BST, for the last practice session and the qualifying rounds

Practice Summary

2024 Thai MotoGP, Buriram – Results from Friday's Practice Session

Finish Line Report

The session concludes with Marquez leading, followed closely by Martin, Bastianini, and Bagnaia.

I

Marc Marquez returns to the lead, clocking a time of 1 minute and 29.165 seconds.

The majority have returned to the pit lane. Given the brief nature of the lap at Buriram, there's an opportunity to complete multiple runs. There's just over five minutes remaining.

Martin just set a new record time for the lap.

However, Martin counters with an impressive circuit time of 1 minute and 29.275 seconds.

Vinales has now overtaken Martin, posting a time of 1 minute and 29.506 seconds.

Martin secures the lead position with an impressive lap time of 1 minute and 29.543 seconds. What a remarkable performance!

Quartararo has now clocked the quickest time at 1 minute and 29.822 seconds!

Acosta has achieved the quickest time with a 1m29.840s.

Binder improves his pace, clocking in at 1 minute and 29.949 seconds.

Binder takes the lead using a fresh medium rear tire, clocking in at 1 minute and 30.023 seconds.

Update on the Order

With only 15 minutes remaining in the Practice session, we are on the verge of entering the time attack stage. Here’s how the top 10 stands as of now:

Jack Miller climbs to the fifth position after switching to a new soft front and medium rear tire, with just under 20 minutes remaining.

Bagnaia has returned to the pitlane following a short stint. He remains dissatisfied with the GP24.

Currently, in Practice, it feels somewhat nostalgic with a Yamaha ranking within the top three and a Honda making it into the top five.

This weekend presents a favorable chance for Japanese bike makers. Tracks with frequent stops and starts usually don't favor these motorcycles, but as previously noted, the harder rear tire levels the playing field by not offering the usual significant grip benefit to competitors.

Zarco has now moved into fifth place on another LCR Honda, utilizing new medium tires as well.

Nakagami makes a great lap, moving up to sixth place with a fresh medium rear tire.

Trouble is brewing in Bagnaia's pit as well. Following modifications by Ducati that proved unsuccessful during Saturday's session in Australia the previous weekend, the team is reverting to the original bike Bagnaia began the session with.

Challenging day for the championship contenders thus far.

Martin appears not entirely at ease with his GP24, showing significant rear movement when exiting Turn 1 recently. This could be partly due to his use of a heavily worn hard rear tire.

Aprilia has announced that Aleix Espargaro has prematurely concluded his session.

He sustained injuries during FP1. More information on his involvement for the rest of the weekend will be provided later.

Fabio Di Giannantonio is participating in his last weekend of the year before undergoing shoulder surgery.

He has recently moved into the 10th position in the rankings, riding on his VR46 Ducati.

Update on the standings:

Midway into the practice session, here are the leading 10 participants:

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Williams introduces a retro-themed yellow and blue paint scheme for their cars in the next two Formula 1 Grand Prix in Mexico and Brazil.

Williams is set to debut a yellow and blue livery with a nostalgic theme at the upcoming F1 races in Mexico and Brazil.

In a nod to their legendary paint scheme on the FW14B, the one that carried Nigel Mansell to his world championship for Williams, the team from Grove has added a touch of yellow to their engine cover.

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The team has taken this action to honor their latest sponsor, Mercado Libre, who became a part of the team in August, coinciding with Franco Colapinto securing a permanent position with the squad.

Colapinto has shone brightly since stepping in for Logan Sargeant.

He has earned points twice and is rumored to be considered for transfers to either Sauber or VCARB for the upcoming season.

The Argentinian has persistently proven to be a strong competitor against Alex Albon, underscoring the impressive work he has achieved this year.

Williams aims to widen their advantage against Alpine for the eighth position in the team standings.

Discussing recent developments, James Bower, the Commercial Director at Williams Racing, commented: "Williams Racing and Mercado Libre, both brands known for their quickness, reliability, and creativity, have found an ideal method to honor their collaboration through this striking engine cover design."

"Yellow color schemes have a significant role in Williams' illustrious past, and it's wonderful to witness this hue making a comeback on our vehicles, courtesy of one of Latin America's top tech firms."

Juan Lavista, the Marketing Vice President of Mercado Libre, expressed their pride in reintroducing the yellow color to Williams, featuring the distinctive handshake logo of Mercado Libre on both the race car and the drivers’ suits during the Latin American Grand Prix events.

"The collaboration with Williams reflects our mutual enthusiasm for velocity and creativity."

"Our goal is to merge the excitement of racing with our dedication to swift and dependable delivery, fostering significant relationships with countless fans and users worldwide."

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Mercedes discloses actual reason behind calamitous Austin race weekend, dismissing speculation about upgrade issues. "We have every reason to believe the improvements were beneficial, and we anticipate reaping their benefits for the rest of the season."

Mercedes F1's head of engineering, James Allison, attributes the team's challenging weekend at the United States Grand Prix to the car's excessively low ride height and excessive rigidity, rather than issues with the most recent set of improvements.

During the race weekend in Austin, both Mercedes drivers experienced crashes.

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George Russell was unable to complete the qualifying round due to a crash, resulting in him having to begin the race from the

Conversely, Lewis Hamilton lost control and exited the race after spinning off at the same turn within the first few laps.

Hamilton hinted that the new upgrade package might have made the W15 difficult to control.

Allison has verified that the challenges encountered by the team at the Circuit of the Americas were due to setup issues.

In a video posted on Mercedes' YouTube channel, he mentioned, "The weekend was rough for us, but we introduced our latest vehicle upgrades, known as update 19, which we were and still are really enthusiastic about."

"However, we encountered several unusual incidents. Lewis lost control during the Free Practice session. Similarly, George almost lost control of his car's rear. During the qualifying rounds, George had an accident. In the race, Lewis also spun off the track."

Every metric we analyzed indicated that the new enhancements were performing according to our predictions. The car demonstrated the anticipated level of downforce. Before the spins occurred, there was no evidence of any breakdown in the airflow patterns beneath the vehicle. This leads us to believe the improvements are effective, and we anticipate benefiting from them for the rest of the season.

"The roughness we experienced, which led to us hitting the barriers more often than usual, stemmed from having the car set too low and too rigid, causing a significant decline in handling quality."

Due to the sprint format limiting them to a single practice session, Allison acknowledged that it contributed to Mercedes having "reduced time" to fine-tune the car.

"Due to it being a Sprint weekend, there was less time available for adjustments than usual," he further mentioned.

"In the upcoming races, we'll continue to test the new upgrade package. If the issue of ending up in the gravel persists, then it'll be clear there's a direct correlation. However, I suspect that won't be the case."

"I anticipate that rather than experiencing the difficult weekend that just passed, we'll witness further glimpses of the potential that had Lewis appearing poised to dominate the Sprint Qualifying pole position and George closely trailing at the forefront during that session."

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Mercedes uncovers actual reason behind catastrophic Austin race weekend, dismissing speculation about upgrade issues

"The evidence strongly suggests that the improvements were beneficial, and we anticipate benefiting from them for the rest of the season."

Mercedes F1's technical leader, James Allison, attributes their challenging weekend at the United States Grand Prix to the car's low ride height and excessive stiffness, rather than attributing the difficulties to the most recent set of upgrades.

During the race weekend in Austin, both Mercedes drivers experienced crashes.

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George Russell met with an accident during the qualifying round, resulting in him having to commence the race from the pit lane.

Conversely, at the same turn, Lewis Hamilton was forced out of the competition due to a spin in the initial few laps.

Hamilton hinted that the new upgrade kit might have led to poor handling of the W15.

Nevertheless, Allison has verified that the challenges encountered by the team at the Circuit of the Americas stemmed from setup issues.

In a video posted on Mercedes' YouTube channel, he stated, "The weekend was a bit rough for us, and we introduced our latest upgrades, which we refer to as update 19, to the vehicle. We were and continue to be quite enthusiastic about these changes."

"However, there were numerous unusual incidents as well. Lewis experienced a spin during Free Practice. Similarly, George almost lost control of the rear of his car. In qualifying, George had an accident. During the race, Lewis also spun out."

Every indicator we monitored confirmed that the enhancement kit performed in line with our predictions. The aerodynamic pressure was present. Before the incidents of spinning, we observed no breakdown in the airflow patterns beneath the vehicle. It leads us to believe that the improvements were effective, and we anticipate benefiting from them for the rest of the year.

"The excessive bumpiness that frequently forced us against the barriers was due to having the car set too low and too rigid, leading to a significant decline in handling quality."

Due to the sprint format limiting them to a single practice session, Allison admitted that this contributed to Mercedes having "reduced time" to fine-tune the car.

"Given that it was a Sprint weekend, there was less time available for adjustments than usual," he further noted.

"In the upcoming races, we'll continue using the upgrade package to see if it keeps ending up off the track. If it does, we'll conclude there's a connection. However, I suspect that won't be the case."

"I believe that rather than experiencing the challenging weekend we recently endured, we're likely to witness further evidence of the potential that had Lewis appearing poised to dominate the Sprint Qualifying and George closely trailing at the forefront in that very session."

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Pedro Acosta provides an update on his shoulder injury, stating that surgery is not required because the damage is not severe enough.

On Friday, Pedro Acosta participated in practice sessions for the Thailand MotoGP, just days after being declared unable to compete in the Australian Grand Prix.

The Tech3 GASGAS motorcyclist took a tumble during the sprint event on Saturday in Australia, resulting in a shoulder injury that led to his decision to pull out of the main race.

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However, in Buriram, he has come back quickly and managed to bypass surgery for the injury.

After getting back on the motorcycle, Acosta commented on how he felt: "I'm feeling good. It took me some time to get into the groove. I usually don't do a warm-up before the session…"

"I needed about three to five laps to get back into the groove."

"Once I got warmed up, I felt fine, and there was no pain."

"The discomfort is present, but it's manageable, so we should remain positive."

On Friday, Acosta achieved the seventh-best time. The only non-Ducati competitor who was quicker than him was Maverick Vinales, who secured the fifth position.

The remarkable newcomer claims that the discomfort in his shoulder didn't significantly hinder his ability to ride.

"No, during the first practice session, we had to make some adjustments to the bike by widening the handlebars," he clarified.

"By using your legs, you can maintain a firmer grip on the bike."

"Usually, when I use the brakes, I instinctively extend my leg. However, today I made an effort to grip the bike more securely with my legs."

"In my opinion, this is the most nerve-wracking part of the entire weekend."

Acosta commented on his shoulder, saying, "It's not injured to the point where surgery is necessary!"

"The discomfort should subside in a few weeks. Undergoing physiotherapy is necessary."

He shifts his focus to the upcoming Saturday in Thailand.

"We have many areas that require enhancement," stated Acosta. "Today was a day dedicated to making a choice about which fairing we will use from now until the conclusion of the season."

"I tested both options during FP1 and found that each has its own advantages and disadvantages."

"They might introduce a different method for cycling, but there are downsides as well."

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Update on Pedro Acosta’s shoulder injury: No surgery required

"The damage isn’t severe enough to need an operation!"

On Friday, Pedro Acosta participated in the practice sessions for the Thailand MotoGP, just a few days after being declared unfit to compete in the Australian Grand Prix.

The Tech3 GASGAS rider had an accident during Saturday's sprint in Australia and suffered a shoulder injury, which led to his withdrawal from the main race.

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In Buriram, he made a quick recovery and managed to bypass the need for surgery on his injury.

After getting back on the bike, Acosta talked about how he was feeling: "I'm doing well. I was just taking some time to get warmed up. Usually, I don't warm up before the session…"

"I needed about three to five laps to get back into the groove."

"Once I got warmed up, I felt fine and experienced no pain."

"The discomfort is present but manageable, so we should remain positive."

On Friday, Acosta recorded the seventh-fastest time. The only non-Ducati rider to surpass him was Maverick Vinales, who achieved the fifth-fastest time.

The impressive newcomer claims that the discomfort in his shoulder did not significantly hinder his ability to ride.

"During the first practice session, we had to make some modifications to the motorcycle. We widened the handlebars to improve its handling," he stated.

"On the other hand, your legs can provide a firmer grip on the bike."

"Typically, when I use the brakes, I extend my leg, but today I attempted to grip the bike more firmly with my legs."

"In my opinion, this is the most nerve-wracking part of the entire weekend."

Acosta commented on his shoulder condition, stating, "It's not damaged enough to require an operation!"

"The discomfort is manageable. It should subside within a few weeks. We should undergo physiotherapy."

He shifts his focus to the upcoming Saturday in Thailand.

"We have many areas that require improvement," stated Acosta. "Today marked a significant day for making a decision about which fairing we will use for the remainder of the season."

During the first practice session, I tested out both options. Each has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

"They might introduce a new method for cycling. However, there are also downsides."

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Brad Binder expressed his frustration, stating, "I struggle to complete a lap because the front keeps slipping out from under me." He further explained, "Whenever I tried to improve my lap time, the front end would consistently give way."

On Friday in Buriram, Brad Binder discussed the challenges he faced and the possibilities he sees for himself.

During Friday's practice session for the Thailand MotoGP, Binder secured the 11th position on the leaderboard.

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Despite facing a significant issue during his sessions, the KTM rider can also identify substantial improvements for Saturday.

"Binder mentioned that while everything seemed fine initially, he consistently experienced front-end instability whenever he attempted to achieve a faster lap time."

"That was quite challenging…"

"My perfect lap time is impressive, yet I struggle to complete a lap without losing grip on the front."

"We have to come up with a plan to make it effective and lasting."

"If we manage to achieve that, it will definitely simplify things for me."

"Aside from that, all went smoothly. I was comfortable while riding the bike."

"As soon as we fitted a new tire and attempted a time attack, it became challenging to prevent the front from washing out."

"We have tasks ahead of us, but if we address that problem, we have the potential to excel."

Binder missed out on the top 10 by just one thousandth of a second during his fastest lap.

"I completed that lap by nearly losing the front end three times, which adds to the frustration," he expressed.

"The advantage? When I manage to combine everything effectively, I am quick."

"In other words, the situation might be more unfavorable."

"The hard braking works flawlessly. However, when I push to the limit, I begin to slide and lose grip at the front."

"That's the area where I need to get better."

"We've rearranged everything, yet we haven't discovered the perfect setup. I need to discuss it with my team."

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Mercedes Resolves Lewis Hamilton's Suspension Problem at the United States Grand Prix

The suspension problem that Lewis Hamilton faced during the US GP has been resolved following a fix by Mercedes.

James Allison has affirmed that the suspension problem affecting Lewis Hamilton's performance in the sprint race at the United States Grand Prix was resolved and did not recur after being addressed before the qualifying round.

Hamilton had difficulty maintaining speed during the sprint race at the Circuit of the Americas on Saturday.

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He ended up in a disappointing sixth place, trailing three seconds behind his Mercedes teammate, George Russell.

Following the race, Mercedes identified a problem with Hamilton's vehicle, discovering a damaged bearing.

Although adjustments were made for the qualifying round, Hamilton ended up being eliminated in Q1 and later spun out of the race, marking a disappointing weekend for the seven-time world champion.

Allison revealed on Mercedes' YouTube channel the approach Mercedes took to handle the situation in Austin, highlighting that viewers would have noticed Lewis mentioning, "I can feel it clicking." – "I can feel it clicking."

"After dismantling the car following the Sprint race, a competition where he had difficulty fine-tuning the vehicle's maneuverability, we discovered that a bearing responsible for securing a wishbone had begun to deteriorate."

"The cause of the vehicle's erratic movement and the clicking sound he heard was linked to unstable control. This issue, primarily originating from the front of the car, made the rear feel unsteady, contributing to the car's overall unpredictability. This issue significantly affected his performance during the Sprint race."

Allison verified that the problem was addressed before the qualifying round and it did not reoccur throughout the rest of the weekend.

"Allison further stated, 'Did we completely resolve it during qualifying? Indeed, we switched out the component, and the issue did not resurface.'"

"Hence, it was challenging for us to endure that issue, and tough for Lewis to experience the Sprint race in such a manner. However, the problem was resolved by the qualifying session and did not arise again afterward."

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Marc Marquez Sets the Pace but Foresees Competition Closing In

Marc Marquez anticipates that fellow Ducati riders will surpass him at the Thailand MotoGP.

Marc Marquez believes that the other Ducati riders will close the gap on him during the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix. This comes after he set a new lap record and led the Friday practice session.

Gresini's racer set the pace in the second practice session with a time of 1 minute and 29.165 seconds on his GP25, giving him a 0.110-second advantage over championship leader Jorge Martin, who secured the second spot.

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After securing a win in Australia, Marquez arrives in Thailand, having claimed victory in three of the last six grand prix races.

In the long term, Marquez thinks that Martin has a faster pace than he does. Meanwhile, Enea Bastianini's strong beginning to the weekend suggests that the Italian will also be a significant contender in the battle for victory.

He expressed his happiness about kicking off the weekend on a positive note, emphasizing its importance to the press, including Crash.net, on Friday.

"It's accurate to say that the speed is decent. However, it's not as quick as it is in Australia."

"I believe Martin is quicker than we are. If Bastianini shows speed on Friday, it usually means he'll be extremely fast throughout the entire weekend. However, let's see what we manage to achieve."

In response to whether the others will reach the same level, he replied, "This is going to occur."

"In particular, I possess the ability or the upper hand to perform exceptionally well and quickly at the start, but then I find myself in that position."

"The rest of the group is gradually catching up. Take Bastianini, for instance; he is quite distinct from me."

"He faces significant challenges initially, but then he manages to recover. We'll have to wait and see what actions we can take tomorrow."

At the beginning of the season, I consistently faced challenges on Fridays, but I managed to make significant progress as the weekend went on.

"By Friday, I have already established a solid foundation and am riding well, so the approach to getting better remains the same."

"Even tomorrow, it will be tough for me to beat my practice lap time since it's already a record. I'd gladly accept repeating a 1m29.1s lap right now."

Ahead of tomorrow's race, Marquez aims to increase the top speed of his GP23, as he is currently losing time on the lengthy straights coming out of Turn 1 and Turn 3.

"What do I want to make better? Naturally, one always seeks out the little details."

"Right now, my main challenges and losses are occurring in T1 and T2."

"It's on the long straight sections where we're falling slightly behind. However, we'll install a new engine tomorrow, and hopefully, that will help us pick up some speed."

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Pecco Bagnaia's experimental setup doesn't succeed during practice in Thailand. However, the MotoGP champion maintains that it was one of his top-performing Fridays in Buriram for 2024.

Francesco Bagnaia from Ducati described Friday at the MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix as one of his top days of 2024, even though the set-up trials conducted in the afternoon did not yield successful results.

The current two-time world champion is trailing Jorge Martin by 20 points in the championship standings as they head to Buriram. During Friday's hour-long practice session, the champion did not seem at ease.

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Nevertheless, Bagnaia managed to confidently clinch a position in Q2, finishing in fourth place. However, he was behind his Ducati teammate Enea Bastianini, as well as Martin and Marc Marquez in the rankings.

In a later conversation with the media, including Crash.net, he explained that his messy performance during the second practice session was because he found it challenging to "adjust" to changes made in the setup.

He responded affirmatively when questioned if this Friday was an improvement, noting that he felt better after they resolved a minor issue with one of the two motorcycles during the sessions.

“This morning went well for me, but this afternoon, when I had to experiment with different bike setups, things didn’t go smoothly.”

"I had to pause and try to adjust the setup on the second bike, but it just wasn't feasible."

"I faced some difficulties during the adaptation process, and it didn't go smoothly."

"We made another adjustment prior to the time attack, and I noticed an improvement as we moved in the opposite direction."

"I was prepared for the time trial and managed to maintain good speed even without setting a very exact lap time. Overall, it was a successful Friday."

On Friday at Buriram, many riders encountered difficulties with braking, but Bagnaia reported that he did not experience any problems in this regard.

"It's not a problem for me," he mentioned.

"I can apply the brakes with great force, as evidenced by the data showing my lap time reflects this."

"This isn't an issue for me. I'm losing some time in the fourth corner, quite significantly, and my performance in the third sector, particularly at corners six and seven, wasn't very strong."

"However, aside from that, braking currently poses no issues."

As the championship draws closer to its end and each session becomes more crucial, Bagnaia maintains that his method for practice has remained consistent throughout the season.

"It's no different than the rest of the season for me," he mentioned.

"Throughout the race weekend, my focus is solely on performing at my best for the competition."

"At the moment, I don't notice any changes from before. It might shift slightly in the future, but currently, there's no difference."

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Charles Leclerc describes Max Verstappen as constantly pushing the boundaries. "Occasionally, it crosses the line, but that's what brings excitement to Formula 1. It's these battles that truly make it thrilling."

Charles Leclerc believes that the thrilling nature of racing against Max Verstappen stems from Verstappen's tendency to push the boundaries of the rules.

Max Verstappen's conduct during close racing situations has been a major talking point after the United States Grand Prix.

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In Austin, the Formula 1 driver who has won the world championship three times avoided receiving a penalty for his maneuver against Lando Norris on the first lap.

Furthermore, Norris received the penalty for the incident at Turn 12, despite the fact that both drivers veered off the track.

Verstappen has received praise for his skill in pushing the boundaries of the rules during races.

During Thursday's FIA press conference, Leclerc was questioned regarding his confrontations with Verstappen.

"Leclerc commented that Max has consistently pushed the boundaries of the rules."

The thrill of competing against Max comes from the fact that he consistently pushes the boundaries, leaving no space for you. It's this intensity and adherence to the edge of the rules that make battling with him so enjoyable.

"That's why those battles are so thrilling."

Nevertheless, Leclerc expressed dissatisfaction with the FIA stewards' decisions regarding certain incidents, specifically mentioning the penalty Oscar Piastri received in the sprint race for his maneuver involving Pierre Gasly.

Leclerc commented, "With that in mind, I believe there are certain aspects from Austin that warrant a conversation with the FIA, as I think the penalties imposed were occasionally too severe."

"It's crucial for us drivers and the FIA to be on the same page, ensuring clarity about what actions are permissible. I'm specifically referring to Oscar's overtaking maneuver on Saturday, which, in my view, should not have resulted in a penalty."

"We are continuously working with the FIA to improve this process, and I am confident it will be a topic of discussion in our upcoming briefing. Regarding Max, he often pushes the boundaries of the regulations. Occasionally, he might cross those boundaries slightly, but that's part of what adds excitement to Formula 1. These intense battles are what make it thrilling."

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