Lewis Hamilton has consistently criticised Max Verstappen’s driving methods, referring to them as reckless and not in accordance with the regulations since they battled for the world championship three years ago. Verstappen, however, has been defiant, dismissing his critics as biased and irritating.
The Dutch driver’s driving style has come under severe scrutiny after engaging in contentious situations with Hamilton’s championship competitor, Lando Norris from McLaren, during the recent races in Austin and Mexico. He was deemed to have driven too fast into a corner in Austin, forcing Norris off track and receiving a penalty. He unnecessarily pushed Norris off the track twice in Mexico, resulting in two penalties.
This issue predictably took centre stage leading up to the São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil. Hamilton was regularly questioned regarding Verstappen’s tactics and confirmed that despite not personally being involved, his viewpoint of Verstappen being a hazardous driver remains unchanged. “It’s simple – refer to my previous radio comments,” he remarked. “It is Verstappen and Norris that the issue concerns. I think Verstappen’s driving hasn’t changed notably from 2021, it has mostly stayed consistent.”
In 2021, Hamilton was embroiled in several contentious moments with Verstappen as their title race came to a crucial stage in Jeddah. Hamilton was clear in his belief that Verstappen had purposely slowed down to brake-check him, causing a collision, which he deemed as “dangerous driving.” Hamilton expanded on this post-race, stating, “I’ve competed against numerous drivers in my 28-year career. He definitely crosses the line. It’s as though the rules are irrelevant to him or he doesn’t take them into account. I’ve had to evade crashing with him too many times.”
Earlier this week, ex-world champion Damon Hill raised questions regarding Verstappen’s commitment and capacity to follow the racing guidelines. Damon stated, “I’m unsure if Max is capable of racing in a manner that adheres to fairness. It doesn’t seem to be part of his philosophy or his skill set.”
However, Verstappen remained confident in his behaviour and strategy, shrugging off the criticism. He stated clearly that he only takes advice from people who are objective and close to him, not those looking to cause drama. He remarked, “There are a few individuals who are simply annoying. I know who they are and I ignore them. I believe I’m doing just fine. Some people may be slightly biased, that’s their issue, not mine.”
Verstappen currently leads Norris with a margin of 47 points and even though four sessions remain with up to 120 points up for grabs, a possible grid penalty is looming for him in Brazil for the addition of a new, non-permitted power unit. His Red Bull team haven’t confirmed if they will indeed take up the unit in Brazil, however given the course is favourably structured for overtaking, it makes a compelling choice, and one that could potentially give Norris a chance to reduce the gap in the leaderboard.