Max Verstappen has revealed he apologised to Toro Rosso for his foul-mouthed radio abuse in the Australian Grand Prix a fortnight ago.
The 18-year-old Formula 1 sensation was furious in Melbourne about a botched pitstop and not being waved through to pass teammate Carlos Sainz, after qualifying an impressive fifth.
"I apologised to the team for my comments on the radio," Verstappen told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. "I have to communicate more calmly next time.
"It was not the best way to react but I was emotional. That says something about my mentality as well. I always want to win."
Ahead of Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix, teammate Sainz was asked if he and Verstappen had sat down to clear the air.
"Well with Max, what did I do wrong?" Sainz is quoted by the Spanish media as saying. "It's more about him and the team to find out what happened to him or his strategy or his pitstops."
Verstappen had been so angry in Melbourne that the youngster lunged at Sainz and actually made contact with the Spaniard's sister car.
"He hit me, but luckily nothing happened," added Sainz. "Of course it's not ideal if someone is saying 'I am much faster, let me pass' because it wasn't true, but we both know what is expected of us and what we need to do in the coming races."
Meanwhile, McLaren's Fernando Alonso will sit out this weekend's race on medical grounds.
