Professional race car driver sparks outrage after flaunting brand-new private jet upgrade: 'I can't believe they fly these monsters around the planet'

Formula One racing driver Max Verstappen has recently come under fire for his ultra-luxurious transportation choices. A photo of his new jet appeared in a side-by-side comparison with a photo of his old jet in a Reddit post, and commenters were outraged.

"I can't believe they fly these monsters around the planet," said one Redditor.

The original poster shared that Verstappen, who was born in Belgium but competes under the Dutch flag, replaced his old jet, a Dassault Falcon 900EX, with a Dassault Falcon 8X that had a greater range, faster cruise speed, and higher price tag.

Eco-conscious people are upset by private jet usage because it is one of the most energy-inefficient, highly polluting ways to travel and often seems to be an example of how out-of-touch the uber-rich can be with environmental concerns.

Private jets have a significant impact on the planet because they release a substantial amount of harmful carbon pollution that contributes to the warming of the planet by trapping heat in the atmosphere. They are most often used by wealthy travelers for short distances and transport very few people, which compounds their inefficiency.

While commercial jets also have harmful effects on the environment, they carry many more passengers, so they are much more efficient when you calculate the pollution emitted per traveler.

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In an attempt to discourage private jet usage, Canada has added a luxury tax to private jets and yachts.

While some top executives and celebrities continue to use private jets for transportation, other high-profile figures have spoken out about the waste of resources and heavy pollution associated with this mode of luxury travel, emphasizing the unwillingness to make even small sacrifices for the health of the planet.

Private jet usage by executives is often in contrast with company pledges to protect the environment — a source of further criticism — with companies being accused of greenwashing, presenting a deceptive image of how environmentally friendly their products or services are.

The Redditors who chimed in on Verstappen's private jet upgrade were upset about the racer's blatant disregard for environmental concerns.

"Bro could literally fly first class to every race and still be better off financially and not destroy the planet," said another.

One Redditor said that "the environmental waste is just absolutely insane."

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