Lewis Hamilton insists that Max Verstappen's driving style remains unacceptable, even after their intense rivalry for the world championship in 2021. The British driver previously labeled his rival as dangerous, accusing him of driving as if the rules did not apply to him. Verstappen, in turn, has dismissed critics of his driving, calling them biased and annoying.
Verstappen's driving has come under scrutiny in the recent rounds in Austin and Mexico, where he was involved in contentious incidents with his championship rival, McLaren's Lando Norris. In Austin, Verstappen forced Norris wide, leading to a penalty for the British driver, though it was argued that Verstappen was carrying too much speed into the corner. In Mexico, Verstappen pushed Norris off the track twice and was penalized both times. This controversy has been a focal point leading up to the São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil.
Hamilton, while acknowledging he is not directly involved in the current battle between Verstappen and Norris, reiterated his stance on Verstappen's driving. "All you have to do is go back and listen to some of my radio comments back in the day," he said. "If I was in the battle, I could lean in more to it, but you have to ask those two [Verstappen and Norris] because they are the ones that it is affecting, but I don’t think you are seeing much difference across the years from 2021 until now, it’s pretty much the same."
In 2021, during a close title fight with Verstappen, the pair were involved in several incidents. Hamilton was particularly vocal when he believed Verstappen had deliberately slowed to brake-test him, causing a collision. "He just brake-tested me," Hamilton said over team radio. "That was dangerous driving." He further elaborated after the race, stating, "I’ve raced a lot of drivers in my life, in the 28 years. There’s a few at the top which are over the limit. Rules kinda don’t apply, or they don’t think of the rules. He’s over the limit, for sure. I’ve avoided collision on so many occasions with the guy."
Earlier this week, former world champion Damon Hill questioned whether Verstappen was capable of racing within the rules. "It is possible to race fairly, and that is something I am not sure Max is capable of," he said. "It is not in his repertoire, it is not in his philosophy." Verstappen, however, maintained his confidence in his approach. "People that are objective and close to me, not people who are there to stir," he said. "Some people are being very annoying. I know who they are and I don’t pay attention to them anyway. I think I know what I am doing. Some people are just a bit biased, I get it, it’s fine. It’s not my problem at the end of the day."
Verstappen, who leads Norris by 47 points with four meetings remaining and 120 points available, is expected to take a grid penalty in Brazil for installing a new power unit, one beyond the permitted limit. He stated his Red Bull team would need to take the unit at some point but did not confirm they would do so in Brazil. However, with the circuit well-suited to overtaking and coming back through the field, it is the obvious choice, offering Norris the potential opportunity to further close down his lead.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
