F1 rivals clash again as fight takes nasty turn

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have traded insults ahead of the Russian Grand Prix, as their title fight gets ugly.

Sports Dec 25, 2024 11 Add to Reading List

F1 rivals clash again as fight takes nasty turn

Max Verstappen says those who assertion helium walked distant from his Italian Grand Prix crash with Lewis Hamilton without checking connected his rival's information are hypocrites.

The pair's season-long rivalry exploded astatine Monza, arsenic they collided mid-race astatine the archetypal chicane, with the Red Bull launched implicit the apical of the Mercedes, ending some driver's races.

Verstappen's close rear tyre deed Hamilton's helmet, with lone the halo instrumentality preventing superior injury, oregon worse.

Hamilton was criticised successful galore quarters, including by triple satellite champion Sir Jackie Stewart, for seemingly not checking connected Hamilton's wellbeing.

But the Red Bull operator says it was instantly evident Hamilton was fine, besides pointing to Hamilton's quality astatine the Met Gala successful New York arsenic confirmation determination were nary lasting effects.

"There are a batch of hypocrites successful the world, that's for sure," said Verstappen.

"I mean, I jumped retired of the car and I looked to the left. And he's of people inactive trying to reverse, shaking the wheel, trying to get distant nether my car. So I deliberation helium was perfectly fine.

"Also flying connected Monday oregon Tuesday to America to be a gala, I deliberation you lone bash that if you consciousness fine. So I deliberation already there, everything was each nether control."

Verstappen volition person to instrumentality a three-place grid driblet for this weekend's Russian Grand Prix, aft stewards deemed helium was predominately to blasted for the crash.

"I was a spot amazed to perceive the three-place grid punishment myself, but astatine the extremity of the day, it's what they decided," helium said. "I don't request to hold with it.

"I person my ain views, of course. But we conscionable determination connected and marque the champion of it. It is of course, not ideal. But it's not the extremity of the world."

The Monza clang was the 2nd large incidental betwixt the brace successful 5 races, aft they collided on the opening thigh of the British Grand Prix.

Hamilton, a seven-time satellite champion, was playing mind-games up of the Russian race, suggesting his 23-year-old rival was feeling the pressure.

"I retrieve what it was similar warring for my archetypal championship, and evidently I'm warring my 10th battle, thing similar that," the British operator said.

"I retrieve what it was similar and I cognize the unit that comes with it and the experiences that spell with it. So I tin empathise with that. I deliberation what's important is that we conscionable proceed to contention hard but fair."

Verstappen, for his part, wasn't biting.

"I'm truthful tense I tin hardly sleep. It's truthful horrible to combat for a title, I truly hatred it," helium said sarcastically.

"Those comments, it conscionable shows you that helium doesn't truly cognize me, which is fine. I besides don't request to cognize him, however helium is fully, but I conscionable absorption connected myself and I truly bask it retired determination successful front."

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!