Jos Verstappen has defended his son in the wake of the Brazilian grand prix.
Many have criticised the way Red Bull driver Max Verstappen physically accosted Esteban Ocon after being taken out of the lead by the lapped Frenchman.
"Maybe what Max did was not good," Jos, who took out Juan Pablo Montoya from the lead of the Brazilian grand prix in 2001, told De Telegraaf newspaper.
"But I fully understand what he did.
"He was robbed of victory and then Ocon so stupidly stood there and grinned," Jos said.
"We should not make it bigger than it is," he continued. "Football players do that to each other every weekend and Max is professional enough not to beat up anyone.
"I think he was really holding back but it was good that people were standing around him," Verstappen snr added.