Lewis Hamilton said his clash with Max Verstappen during the Bahrain Grand Prix was an example of the Red Bull driver squandering results through immaturity.
Verstappen retired from the race following the lap two clash between the pair. Hamilton believes the Red Bull driver needs to calm down his approach to deliver the results his car his capable of.
“He’s a young driver, he’s going to be learning all the time, he’s got fantastic pace,” said Hamilton. “But as youngsters we don’t always make the right decisions.
“It’s interesting to hear from Christian [Horner] because they’ve got a car that should be getting good results and through these kind of – I don’t know if they’re inexperienced or not potentially mature decisions – they’re not getting the results they would have. Today he should have finished a decent race really because he’s good enough to do that.
“And I think to myself if Fernando [Alonso] was in that car today he would have finished a decent race and got points for Red Bull. I like to think if I was in the car today I’d’ve got points for Red Bull. I just hope that he is learning through whatever situation he is going through. I went through that stuff when I was younger so I know how it is and it’s easy to also get ahead of yourself and forget also to respect the other guy’s situation.”
Hamilton’s car survived the contact with the Red Bull and he finished third. “I’m just grateful that the car was still OK,” he said.
“I had no intentions of touching him. I was super-cautious in the first lap. I’m thinking about the world championship. And in that moment I’m like, that could have been a big, big blow in the championship. Fortunately it wasn’t.”
He said his view of the collision hadn’t changed. “We were racing which was all fine. Often when the car is on the outside [it] should end up running out of road.
“If you look at it I was actually ahead for quite a period of time and then I accepted defeat and I just backed out because I knew he was going to try to run me wide. But then he just kept going. He didn’t need to keep going to the edge of the track.
“Supposedly he said he left room but he didn’t, he was right to the white line but he didn’t need to go there because I’d already backed out.”
Hamilton-Verstappen clash in pictures
Go ad-free for just £1 per month
>> Find out more and sign up
2018 F1 season
- McLaren staff told us we were “totally crazy” to take Honda engines in 2018 – Tost
- ‘It doesn’t matter if we start last’: How Red Bull’s junior team aided Honda’s leap forward
- Honda’s jet division helped F1 engineers solve power unit problem
- McLaren Racing losses rise after Honda split
- Ricciardo: Baku “s***show” was Red Bull’s fault
Newfangled (@newfangled)
9th April 2018, 10:03
Stewards called it right: racing incident. Verstappen was not the perpetrator per se, but it was, however, an overaggressive and perhaps misjudged manoeuvre that unfortunately cost the Red Bull driver dear.
Egonovi
9th April 2018, 10:42
Agree with Lewis that this is still a tad too aggressive (after he had to avoid Alonso) and it is costing Verstappen points.
But at the same time as a fan I like this assertive racing as opposed to e.g. Bottas (nowadays). I want drivers to fight for every position.
BasCB (@bascb)
9th April 2018, 15:55
I guess the question is, what was/is Verstappen’s target though. One of the refreshing things about him is that he just goes for it. And it certainly makes for entertaining racing with him, because he never seems too interested in “racing for the results”.
On the other hand, Hamilton is off course right that most drivers with experience normally learn to back out of situations and play the “long game” that brings their team in the income (from points) and possible championships. But would we, the fans who watch really like that more? Or would we be more happy to see Hamilton go for it like he did in his first race, overtaking Alonso?
Tex Arcana (@texarcana)
10th April 2018, 4:32
When Lewis does it, it’s all okay; but when someone else does it, he’s all “holier than thou” and the other driver is always at fault.
I watched this about a dozen times (oh, how I love my DVR!), and Hamilton was clearly at fault, because he tried to turn in on Verstappen AFTER VERSTAPPEN DREW EVEN & EFFECTIVELY HAD HIM PASSED.
But, because Hamilton is the “champion”, and the darling of all Britain, he gets a pass & the “racing incident” layout.
And Verstappen ended up out of the race, when he clearly had the superior car. Had either he or Ricciardo or both survived and finished, methinks the podium would’ve look quite different.
Adam
10th April 2018, 6:03
*sigh
Thomas
9th April 2018, 14:05
The stewards called it a “racing incident” because it was Verstappen who suffered from the move he made and not Hamilton. If Verstappen’s move had taken Hamilton out of the race instead then I expect the decision would have been very different.
Stephen Crowsen (@drycrust)
9th April 2018, 18:06
I’m sure Christian Horner has ways of “encouraging” his drivers to be “less overaggressive” and to “less misjudge manoeuvres” so they can bring home those essential Constructors’ Championship points.
Matn
9th April 2018, 19:27
All mindgames, like Vettel, Lewis is trying to put the focus on Verstappen, was it overly aggressive overtaking or overly aggressive defending..?
There was nothing misjudged, it was a matter of who’s got the biggest balls, or in this case more luck to get out without damage. Lweis was a s lucky as Verstappen was unlucky…
What I don;t get is why it’s labeled as a racingincident, according to the rules Lewis should have backed out as he lost the right to the racing line as soon Verstappen came along side
James Bond (@jamesbond)
9th April 2018, 21:09
Good points! +1
avl0
9th April 2018, 21:19
because neither of them were on the racing line, the racing line was completely free fastest way through that complex of corners is definitely not to run out to the far kerb like they did.
Matn
10th April 2018, 6:01
Define racing line….? Defintion says the most optimum path, there’s no visiable line across the track that drivers need to follow, goign into the corner the driver choses his most effective line which is by default the racing line.
Fe Brazil in the rain, Verstappen chose different lines than all other drivers, he was also faster and therefore created his very own racing line.
It would be different he’d blocked from left to right, which he obviously didn’t. Being ahead og Hamilton Verstappen had the right to choose his path and Hamilton should have yielde, basics of racing.
Like I said like Vettel, Hamilton is rying to put the focus on Verstappen for the next battle he will ask for penalties just like Vettel and Hamilton did before.
Tex Arcana (@texarcana)
10th April 2018, 4:35
Because Lewis is extra-super-beyondblame-shortbusspecial, and get extra-super-beyondblame-shortbusspecial treatment with kid/silk/carbonfibre gloves.
He’s the “champion”, and EVERYONE should get out of his way. Even when he’s slower.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
9th April 2018, 19:11
Indeed.
Hamilton is a Sherlock to realise what everyone knows. Max is overaggressive and it’s costing RB, sure he won a couple of races out of pure aggression but he has been involved in far too many incidents that have cost him as well. Immaturity I wouldn’t call it, it’s more overeagerness.
frood19 (@frood19)
9th April 2018, 10:05
hard to argue with what lewis says here, i think he’s spot on. max made an error thinking lewis would somehow vanish out of thin air. however, the headline is a bit of a semantic stretch. it makes what he said sound much more inflammatory, when in fact it is quite measured.
RB13
9th April 2018, 11:45
+1
Racefans does tend to have a small predisposition towards sensationalist headlines which I always find jarring when the rest of the site is so well written and structured. @keithcollantine
Gabriel (@naylamp)
9th April 2018, 12:14
+1
Gabriel (@naylamp)
9th April 2018, 12:23
another sensationalist headline. next time will say: Verstappen is inmature.
joe pineapples
9th April 2018, 18:59
+1
Patrickl (@patrickl)
9th April 2018, 22:34
+1
ruliemaulana (@ruliemaulana)
9th April 2018, 10:10
LoL. You said you didn’t remember something you said which was not in the heat of a moment and now you said something you always done even to your teammate is immature. What a fake.
Jesper (@jesperfey13)
9th April 2018, 10:13
“If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you are no longer a racing driver”
Verstappen had the opportunity to overtake Hamilton, which he might not have had at any other point in the race.. Of course he went for the overtake. Those people who say that he shouldn’t have done it because it was only lap 2 of the race clearly now nothing about racing.
Matthijs (@matthijs)
9th April 2018, 10:20
@jesperfey13
I wished people would stop using this quote, because it’s always torn out of context. With this quote Senna was trying to justify ramming Prost out of the race on purpose (Suzuka 1990). There never was a gap, it never existed.
BillC20
9th April 2018, 12:17
Thank you for pointing this out.
whatEVA
9th April 2018, 14:28
i think the general rule is true. the context clouds it.
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
9th April 2018, 16:03
@matthijs Oh no! You’ve spoken our Lord and Sennaviour’s name in vain O.O
faulty (@faulty)
9th April 2018, 16:33
Thank you for the sense and maturity, @matthijs
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
9th April 2018, 10:44
@jesperfey13
No one argued Max’s right to overtake Lewis in the first place. The incident in question happened after he went to that gap.
Sam (@crunch)
9th April 2018, 11:04
Your comment indicates to me that you don’t understand the story at all, for reasons already responded to you.
David BR (@david-br)
9th April 2018, 12:26
There was only a gap because Hamilton gave him room. Hamilton, who was ahead, could have left MV no room and only the option to brake behind Alonso, or crash into himself veering left. So, naturally, Hamilton gave room knowing Verstappen would veer left into him rather than slow down. Verstappen, uncontent with having space around the corner, went for over-kill, forcing Hamilton off track and actually slowing himself down rather than keeping speed into the corner (as Coulthard pointed out). So his primary interest was in shoving Hamilton aside. Fair enough but don’t complain if you get a puncture and mess up a weekend’s work for everyone on your team.
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
9th April 2018, 16:21
didn’t sweat it, got it back to him?
David BR (@david-br)
10th April 2018, 1:49
Sorry @mrboerns, I didn’t get that.
MrBoerns (@mrboerns)
10th April 2018, 12:24
@david-br
I’m really into Motörhead right now is all
David BR (@david-br)
12th April 2018, 22:41
@mrboerns OK, got it now!
whatEVA
9th April 2018, 14:29
max had already passed. pushing to the white line with alonso far down on the apex was the issue.
Todfod (@todfod)
9th April 2018, 15:30
@jesperfey13
It annoys me when people throw this quote completely out of context. Max was not wrong in making the manouvre and diving down the inside, his mistake was getting too aggressive in pushing Lewis out at the exit of the corner.
Since we’re on the topic of famous quotes –
Robbie (@robbie)
9th April 2018, 17:01
@todfod That pushing out is how LH does it too and how he would have done it had the shoe been on the other foot. This is why it was considered a racing incident. And we well know that even if the sentiment that ‘all the time you must leave the space,’ is out there, that doesn’t meant that literally all the time a leading driver is leaving a car width between himself and the apex, nor doing the same around the outside upon exiting a corner.
All the time leaving the space applies more to Villeneuve/Arnoux as cited by gt-racer last week when he cited racing as it used to be in past eras. Otherwise I’m pretty sure that FA meant all the time when a car is alongside etc etc. i.e.. all the time when the same type of circumstance arises.
Max left LH plenty of room to go wider or back off and LH chose neither, but this was exactly what LH expected NR to do on several occasions such as US GP 2015. I’m coming at you wide and so either move off the track or back off…those are your two choices. LH was lucky NR moved wide and avoided contact. He was also luck he didn’t sustain race ending damage by refusing to cede the position to Max. But the last thing Max’s move was, was immature. He likely learned it from watching LH.
Todfod (@todfod)
9th April 2018, 17:13
@robbie
Not denying other drivers haven’t done it in the past. Both Lewis and Nico did the exact same manoeuvre, but When it did end badly for them, they had no one but themselves to blame. Max did the same this time around, but put the blame on Lewis instead. The more I watch the replays, the more evident it seems that Max didn’t need to push him all the way off the track. The move was made, he made it stick, but trying to get your left wheels to the track limits with a car that was slightly on the outside was just asking for trouble.
If that’s the move that Max learnt from Lewis, then he picked the wrong one to learn.
Robbie (@robbie)
9th April 2018, 17:31
@todfod Fair comment. I would say that between LH/NR they both put plenty of blame on the other, as did fans around here, lol. It was natural for Max to blame LH and LH to call Max immature in response. I don’t expect this to change Max’s behaviour whatsoever. He has already in his young career thrown down the gauntlet that he is a hard charger. I don’t think he would have that in him to change that so we’re in for a career of it. Max had the advantage and tried to stamp his authority on the move, which is completely what WDC level drivers do, and get applauded for at the same time. LH will perhaps think twice about assuming his car will remain intact the next time he decides to stand his ground upon being passed.
Arthur (@aegges66)
9th April 2018, 20:24
What I don’t understand is that a few laps later LH overtakes three cars, dives deep into the corner and ends up in exactly the same place as where MV was when he was overtaking LH. On the outside of LH there was NH who, unlike LH, did lift off because he knew that he lost his position to LH.
So, what is the difference between what LH did and MV did? They both followed the same line, the difference is with the other car, where LH decided he did not want to concede his place to MV and NH did want to concede his place to LH.
https://youtu.be/tjBUOiirSQc
In this video at 00:14 you see where LH is on the track … and then compare that to where MV was. I think MV and LH are very much alike in their behaviour on track. MV just got unlucky this time.
RP (@slotopen)
10th April 2018, 0:30
@jesperfey13
I disagree, because the gap was never there. Hamilton wasn’t vunerable to anything but a divebomb, and even then Alonso was still in the way.
I think he got one of the more positive potential outcomes – he didn’t hurt anybody and didn’t get a penalty. He even got Hamilton to back off, but it still failed.
I think Hamilton’s initial comment summed it up well.
Matthijs (@matthijs)
9th April 2018, 10:17
Both drivers knew that this was a very important duel. Both drivers are infamous for their fierce battles and their willingness to cross the line. Both knew that this duel would have an effect on future duels: who will bail out first? This battle will go the distance.
In the end it was a accident waiting to happen with two drivers refusing to yield. But I thought it was quite stupid from Verstappen to keep closing the door when he could actually see Hamilton still fully alongside. Mindgames are fine with me, but you must know when to yield.
Sonics (@sonicslv)
9th April 2018, 12:52
@Matthijs Are they? Hamilton no doubt know his position. Despite what many people may think of him, he’s pretty intelligent and calculating out there in the track. Max in other hand, does he really know what best for him even for the short term of completing the race is best position, instead of just coming ahead of the corner in front?
Patrickl (@patrickl)
9th April 2018, 22:44
@matthijs How was it important for Verstappen? He just banks on Hamilton having it all to lose so he can be overly agressive.
Indeed Verstappen saw that Hamilton had him beat. So instead of playing fair and going side by side through the corner and then into the next where Hamilton would have had the inside line and kept the position, he decided to go for this dirty move to not steer into the corner and simply go straight out of the corner shoving Hamilton off track.
Rosberg pulled the same stunt on Verstappen in Hockenheim 2016 and Verstappen was non pleased with it then either. Rosberg got a penalty for it too. Verstappen created his own penalty. Undoubtedly why the stewards weren’t interested in investigating the issue.
Apart from the obvious issue that he keeps ending up in incidents from his overly aggressive driving, he’s also creating bad blood. Verstappen can keep pulling these dirty tricks against drivers who have more to lose than him, but if at some point he actually does end up fighting for a WDC himself, he will get the same treatment back and probably worse.
It makes no sense to play this dirty when you are not fighting for the WDC.
Patrick (@anunaki)
9th April 2018, 10:20
Hahaha
This is great opportunistic stuff, Lewis trying to get into Max’s head and stir things up amongst redbull a little.
I love it!!
I wonder what he would’ve said if he was the one with the damaged car because he didn’t want to lift when he was beaten in round 2.
peter
9th April 2018, 12:34
Exactly. By saying Verstappen is a d#ick he’s trying to take all the attention away from being passed at the end of the straight by a renault, even without DRS.
And it works, nobody talks about that.
Burnningrubber
9th April 2018, 13:47
Exactly. But most important, the way he is complaining about Max is inmature. Well, I am Lewis Hamilton, the Big Champ, and I will tell the world that Max is inmature and respectless. So Champ unworthy.and so untrue ofcourse. It was just a race accident, and no, its not forbidden to try to take over The inmature champ Lewis. Nuff said.
whatEVA
9th April 2018, 14:30
well, how many people in cars, out of cars, pundits etc. are saying it? where there is smoke……..i have never met a driver that i liked that i didnt find fault in once in a while. that is called being pragmatic and recognizing human nature.
KGN11
9th April 2018, 16:28
Seems like you’ve no understanding of what complaining is or means.
ram (@)
9th April 2018, 17:48
Wondering about things that didn’t happen? No thanks. I just watched a great race. I’ll stick to reality.
Ben Needham (@ben-n)
9th April 2018, 10:33
I wonder if Daniil Kvyat is busy next weekend…
Basil (@flyingbasil)
9th April 2018, 10:35
@ben-n
nah, Max is their wonder child, they’ll protect every crazy move he makes.
Ben Needham (@ben-n)
9th April 2018, 10:38
@flyingbasil – I should confirm that I was joking… :-)
I don’t agree that it was a crazy move though. He hasn’t had the cleanest start to the year and it was a little overly careless at the end of the move, but if Hamilton had stamped the brake a little harder than he did, we’d be praising the overtake rather than berating it.
Basil (@flyingbasil)
9th April 2018, 10:46
Well, Hamilton didnt hit that red bull from behind, did he?) In fact he got hit from the side, in my opinion Max should get rid of his fathers assistance in racing. Otherwise even Marko will find it hard to excuse him.
Also about the joke, just imagine if Dan was this aggressive this past year, would you honestly expect him to get the same team support as did max?)
Broekie
9th April 2018, 10:48
I guess I agree to your comment Ben
Thin line between ‘hero’ or ‘zero’
One addition (but we will never know). They both braked late but what if alonso was not there in their (max) braking zone, taking away downforce? Perhaps they both (max perticular) could not steer earlier and more to the right in the corner…
Michael Brown (@)
9th April 2018, 14:18
@ben-n Could always do a swap with Gasly or Sainz, and either one would win the following race.
Joao (@johnmilk)
9th April 2018, 10:35
It is a racing incident, don’t get why people are trying to blame one or the other, don’t get it either why Hamilton thinks he has the moral high-ground, the manoeuvre that Max pulled was very similar to what Hamilton has done in the past, to his team-mate actually.
Max saw the opportunity to pass the Merc, where would it present itself again? Probably it wouldn’t, so good on him to try it, unfortunately it didn’t end well. And he knows now that Hamilton won’t concede any more room, so he will think better of it next time around and approach it differently.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
9th April 2018, 11:47
@ I think HAM might have a point though. Unlike HAM’s recent moves of that kind VES ended up as a retireree. Which is not how HAM is today, though (I think as HAM alluded to) OTOH certainly something present in his past.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
9th April 2018, 11:48
@johnmilk
peter
9th April 2018, 12:42
Max left Lewis enough room, but only enough for him to go with two wheels on the kerb instead of him giving him all tarmac. It’s because Max is a phenomenal racer. In this case Lewis reveals himself as quite a bad loser.
erikje
9th April 2018, 19:18
Agreed +1
David BR (@david-br)
9th April 2018, 12:31
The difference is Hamilton successfully forced Rosberg, for example, off track without incident. Verstappen retired himself. One of the elements in the equation is knowing the other driver and how they will respond. Like you said, Verstappen learnt something. His miscalculation was presuming that because LH let him past last season, he would at the start of this. That’s just dumb. He failed to factor in the difference in the championship stakes for both of them. Hamilton for his part probably assumed Verstappen wouldn’t be so wild – hence his comments in the report.
Patrickl (@patrickl)
9th April 2018, 22:50
@johnmilk It is not similar to what drivers do when they have the rights to the racing line. In this incident, the racing line was nowhere near.
Verstappen did in Bahrain what Rosberg did in Austria and Hockenheim 2016. Rosberg, just like Verstappen here, didn’t really steer for the corner and mostly went straight for the outside of the corner. Blocking the other car from taking the corner. Rosberg got a penalty for that both times.
A move like this is simply not legal.
As opposed to driving on the racing line when you are ahead, is legal. Even when that means the driver behind and next to the racing line is going to run into a “disappearing wedge”. They know this and should yield.
DrG
11th April 2018, 10:16
Spot on
Egonovi
9th April 2018, 10:47
And Hamilton now knows Verstappen won’t move either (more confirmed what he knew already). I think that Hamilton will be moving next time, especially if he fighting Vettel for the WDC.
Gabriel (@rethla)
9th April 2018, 11:15
Hamilton wont move, Verstappen wont move.
Joao (@johnmilk)
9th April 2018, 11:23
kabhum!
Aleš Norský (@gpfacts)
9th April 2018, 11:17
For the past couple of years, Verstappen could do no wrong and got away with almost every crazy or over-optimistic move. Now, reality is setting in little more…
Asanator (@asanator)
9th April 2018, 11:54
Or….It is just that it has happened to Hamilton rather than the Ferrari Drivers or his team mate.
Aleš Norský (@gpfacts)
9th April 2018, 14:43
If he wants to be aggressive that’s fine with me and I don’t care with whom. He just cannot expect it to work in his favor every time…that is all.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
9th April 2018, 11:35
This directly contradicts everything Hamilton has said on Verstappen previously. Just because he himself didn’t handle the situation well – Verstappen was past him on track, regardless of how aggressive the move was. Hamilton kept saying last season that everyone was unfairly moaning about Verstappen. Him retracting all his support of Verstappen cause he directly faced him here is incredibly hypocritical and ironic. It’s funny though.
ILoveConspiracyTheories
9th April 2018, 11:58
I fully agree, it is indeed funny. I rather see this then the bogus DRS overtakes. This is racing and sometimes it doesn’t end that well for one or both drivers.
Furthermore I think that Verstappen is not only in Vettel’s head but now also in Hamilton’s head seeing this 360 degree turnaround in opinion of Hamilton about Verstappen and the remark of Hamilton after the race but later moaning about respect. And why shouldn’t Verstappen deserve respect? Hamilton could have braked harder or went outside the curbes like Hulkenberg did when Hamilton did a similar move on Hulkenberg? Or is the fact that someone is a WDC a reason not to race this WDC?
KGN11
9th April 2018, 12:06
When and where did Lewis pull a similar move on Hulkenberg? Are you sure you watched the same race as the rest of us?
Patrick (@anunaki)
9th April 2018, 12:36
I think he’s talking about the 3 in 1 overtake from Lewis. Hulkenberg has Lewis coming by on the inside as well but backed out fully to avoid contact.
KGN11
9th April 2018, 13:39
The two moves aren’t even comparable.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
9th April 2018, 12:23
All your final points are valid. Last season people mentioned the admiration Hamilton had for Verstappen might be a sign of worrying. Now he’s changed his tune, we know it definitely is.
Let’s not forget Hamilton started ninth and Verstappen 15th yet Verstappen was past by lap 3.
Prab
9th April 2018, 13:08
where did max finish with respect to Lewis?
I’d say the very same overtaking spree led him to be knocked out while Hamilton took him time to settle down because he knew he had a fast enough far to overtake after the chaos of the opening few laps.
Its all about what you do every second of every lap. Verstappen was aggressive amd Lewis didn’t expect him to be. Simple, they touched. Racing incident. Get it over with.
erikje
9th April 2018, 19:20
You mean after the moment Lewist “took him out”.
matt90
9th April 2018, 19:28
And that lasted less than a straight, right?
KevinY
11th April 2018, 14:32
180 degree turnaround. If he turned 360 he would be back where he was before ;)
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
9th April 2018, 12:51
@hahostolze he is just offering him some advice – he still knows that Max is a great talent. I called it a silly move and so did Lewis. I said Max should be looking at the way that Lewis drove on the 1st lap and Lewis is saying the same to Max.
I remember Lewis once ended up behind Alonso at the start of the race due to some penalty and his Mercedes was obviously good enough to pass Alonso. Do you know what Lewis did? He let Alonso pass the field and he just followed him. It was a sign of respect to Alonso and we also saw that yesterday at the start of the race where the 2 passed each other but didn’t even come close to touching cars.
Max could have done the same yesterday. There was no sense in passing Lewis early – he was going to move up and Max could have simply followed him.
Same with Daniel – when he won his races, his passes were brilliant and respectful. Bottas could have easily ruined his race and Seb’s yesterday but he didn’t. If the the shoe was on the other foot, I think Seb would have pushed Bottas all the way to the wall there and if you have any doubt ask Seb:-)
Patrick (@anunaki)
9th April 2018, 13:15
You must really like the current era of F1 full of respectful DRS overtakes and cars that drive in the right order at safe distance from each other.
I prefer drivers that race to win.
BTW Take a look at Max’s 1st lap, he is really careful going through the field. Just like Lewis.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
9th April 2018, 14:38
@anunaki oh, I prefer drivers that race to win but the way you do it is also important for me.
erikje
9th April 2018, 19:24
But let’s hope they win fighting and no making up the statistics and keeping the tires happy etc..
Come on, it’s called racing, so let’s race. Just what VER did and HAM was passed and should have braked harder. But big EGO’s as in F1 are happy to bump.
Patrickl (@patrickl)
9th April 2018, 22:52
@hahostolze Look at the picture in the article. Hamilton is ahead. The only reason Verstapen ended up ahead just before he ran off track is because he pulled a dirty blocking move.
If he had played it fair we could have seen an actual wheel to wheel battle. Instead he tried to take the easy way out bullying Hamilton off track. Ruining his own race in the process.
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
9th April 2018, 11:55
Lewis is spot on. Max needs to think of the championship. He already won the position, already was ahead, but did not take enough care to be safe.
Result 0 points.
You cannot have many of those to be a world champion. Lewis knows that very well, having been second like that.
Vettel knows that aswell, look at his overtake on Hamilton.
EC (@dutch-1)
9th April 2018, 12:39
VER knows he will not be WDC this year. But he wants to win races. So he is prepared to take a risk or two, because he doesn’t want to end as 3th of 4th. Delivers a lot of action and amusement for all of us so I would say: Go Max!
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
9th April 2018, 13:37
Racefans.net: “Hamilton survived a controversial clash with Max Verstappen to score points for the 27th race in a row. That equals the record held by Kimi Raikkonen, which Hamilton could break in Shanghai this weekend.”
How many points scoring races did VER have in a row?
Patrick (@anunaki)
9th April 2018, 14:22
Yeah, Let’s do comparisons that have nothing to do with it.
How many F1 -insert anything- did Lewis have at Max’s age?
How many F1 testing did Lewis and Max get to do outside GP weekends?
Why don’t we just enjoy the 2 of them racing?
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
9th April 2018, 16:29
We are discussing most successful racing driver currently in F1, giving advice to a younger peer. Offcorse comparisons are in order. Lewis has an outstanding point finishing streak, scored wins every season, is renown for skill in wheel zo wheel action.
It is advice Max should take.
This is not some angry annoyed driver giving advice, but a calm observant WDC.
Patrick (@anunaki)
9th April 2018, 20:37
I don’t buy it. Max is annoying him and Lewis wants to put him in his place, hoping to stir things up at redbull in the meantime.
Lewis is a great driver indeed, no doubt about it. But he’s not really used to be challenged the last 4 seasons is he? The only guys really trying to overtake him since he is driving a Mercedes are Max and Rosberg.
Maybe that’s what he means with respect: only overtake him with strategy like Vettel and not on the track
Robbie (@robbie)
9th April 2018, 12:10
This was a racing incident exactly like LH has done in the past too. So since there is nobody to blame here, for they were racing, LH’s ‘immaturity’ comments are hypocritical…that or he himself has also been ‘immature’ with his racing in recent years then.
This is standard ‘when the shoe is on the other foot’ stuff.
David Not Coulthard (@davidnotcoulthard)
9th April 2018, 12:18
@robbie in all fairness HAM did say
Robbie (@robbie)
9th April 2018, 12:25
@davidnotcoulthard No, as I said, LH did it in recent years too. Has LH in recent years always respected the other guys’ situation?
KGN11
9th April 2018, 13:42
When has Lewis performed a move in recent years that resulted in another driver retiring from the race due to damage?
Patrick (@anunaki)
9th April 2018, 14:22
Barcelona 2016
David BR (@david-br)
9th April 2018, 14:29
@anunaki Oh come on. Rosberg fluffed his engine mode and lost pace, Lewis went to pass on the inside and Rosberg swerved over to completely block him, leaving Hamilton no space or braking distance and having to go onto the grass to avoid a collision. Hamilton then spins on the grass and catches Rosberg as he comes back on track. And that’s Hamilton’s fault?!
Robbie (@robbie)
9th April 2018, 14:31
It’s about the move itself, not whatever luck of the draw from the move, or similar moves to it in the past, resulted in. LH could have just as easily sustained damage yesterday.
Patrick (@anunaki)
9th April 2018, 14:34
I’m not blaming him for that. It was a racing incident just like last weekend.
But it still was a move from Lewis that resulted in another driver retiring.
Robbie (@robbie)
9th April 2018, 14:35
Yeah I’ll always feel that LH was going for a gap that he knew all along was closing, as evidenced by Nico’s legal swerve across the track. LH saw an opportunity because of Nico’s flashing light and couldn’t resist going for it, but he chose the wrong side of the track, that being the same side Nico was headed for too. The driver in behind is always the one who can see more of the situation unfolding than the one ahead. Anyway, that situation was not the same as yesterday’s whatsoever.
Patrickl (@patrickl)
9th April 2018, 22:54
@robbie LKear the difference between defending the race line and purely shoving someone off track on the other side of the track.
Or just keep pretending that your nonsense makes sense. That’s what you mostly do.
EC (@dutch-1)
9th April 2018, 12:34
+1 !!
Martijn (@)
9th April 2018, 12:42
I am a Verstappen and Lewis fan. Lewis let Max live at the entree of the corner (not snookering him behond Alonso) and subsequently Max didn’t return the favour. Ahead as he was by then, it was his right to own the corner, but would have been better of to give Lewis a bit more space. Overall nothing out of the ordinary. A race incident with a valuable lesson. Best thing to notice is that the RB has pace to challenge, so the season looks promising
Martijn (@)
9th April 2018, 12:50
By the way I can’t wait to hear what Villeneuve has to say about this :-)
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
9th April 2018, 12:55
Great advice from Lewis to Max – Max should have just followed Lewis without putting pressure on him until they got to their expected positions. It’s exactly what Lewis did when he was behind Alonso with a Merc and could have pressured him or passed him. He said to Fernando “lead the way” and Fernando was eating them up like Pac-man and Lewis was right behind him.
Actually if you think about it, it made total sense. If a driver had been passed by Fernando in a McLaren, why would they bother defending against Lewis in a Mercedes? This way Lewis, now please get out of my clean air :-)
David Browne (@dvb78)
9th April 2018, 13:46
Have to agree with Hamilton, Verstappen is involved in too many incidents, compromising his own races.
He’s young so should mature in time
Philip (@philipgb)
9th April 2018, 14:13
Stewards called it correct, racing incident. It’s nice that Hamilton acknowledged he’s been through this phase in his career. In 2011 Hamilton had a years more experience in F1 and several more in lower categories than Verstappen and still made similar results losing decisions
Ian Bond (@ianbond001)
9th April 2018, 14:19
Sometimes (more often than i’d like to admit) Lewis is right.
whatEVA
9th April 2018, 14:26
lewis is right here. max should have been smarter. alonso was at the apex, no reason for max to be at the white line, other than…..
prelvu (@prelvu)
9th April 2018, 15:22
Hamster said that Max has NO respect for moove like that.
But Hamster does it every time
This means that HE has NO respect for anyone?
BJ (@beejis60)
9th April 2018, 16:08
This move has been HAM’s signature defense the past few years, especially against ROS. Of course, when someone does it to him, particularly ROS, HAM usually points fingers. This was a little more level-headed response than what he did of ROS, but still doesn’t change the maneuver that occurred.
Ed
9th April 2018, 16:39
It not quite the same thing, really.
Hamilton did it once to Rosberg on the 2014 race and Rosberg did avoid it, but this is way different to what Hamilton and Rosberg did to each other several times. That turn is very particular and things like what happened with the Haas drivers can happen even if not on purpose.
Ed
9th April 2018, 16:41
Verstappen should be thankfull that he didn’t get a puncture on Mexico last year or Canada or other times that he misjudged the situation and touched someone’s front with his rear tyre.
Martijn (@)
9th April 2018, 17:47
He is making his mark in those actions and reminding the comfortable champions that this is 100% textbook overtake. Whether it is smart at those particular moments can be debated, but Max is thinking long term. They need to know he will never yield. Remember Brundle stating ‘when you saw this red and white car with the yellow helmet in it in your mirror, you’d think twice on your actions’. As soon as other drivers think that way, you’ve already won
Kingshark (@kingshark)
9th April 2018, 16:48
https://f1metrics.wordpress.com/2014/08/28/the-rules-of-racing/
Hamilton is really the last person to be talking about racing ethics.
Oscar (@oscar)
9th April 2018, 17:42
There was no need to clinche that overtake manouevre with that stupid move. MV could have done it in a cleaner way and would’ve been hero instead of zero.
Is this good for the show? Maybe, but would be better the other way.
Is this good for the sport? Less than for the show…
Is this good for him (MV)? As we all and himself can see, definitely not.
The Limit
9th April 2018, 18:10
If Max Verstappen is smart he will learn from this. He basically is trying too hard, trying to make up for last years disappointment and all those mechanical failures. Hamilton is a bit brutal with his comments, but that is natural. I remember back in 1992 Senna having words after an incident with Michael Schumacher, the old guard vs the up and coming star.
I remember Hamilton losing a championship after beaching his McLaren in the gravel in 2007, and running into the back of Raikkonen in the pits a year later in Canada. Everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect!
I think what you are seeing now is the beginning of a new rivalry between these two which is good for us and for the sport. For once I agreed with Christian Horner, events like these are why people turn their tvs on for in the first place.
smudgersmith1 (@smudgersmith1)
9th April 2018, 18:35
I think a number of the senior drivers who have been on the receiving end of some of MV more dodgy moves are thinking, well if it means we have an accident to put some manners on you, so be it. Kimi, Seb and Lewis have all had near misses with him which everyone applauded but in reality, they had to ‘let’ him through otherwise there would be a crash.
For me, Lewis is spot on, he is fast but needs to learn.
Balue (@balue)
9th April 2018, 18:40
So the Verstappen pass was disrespectful, but telling Verstappen and RBR their business is not? Ok.
The Limit
10th April 2018, 0:11
I agree. Telling Red Bull who they should have in their car is a tad too far from Hamilton. How I would find it ever so amusing when one day Max is Hamilton’s team mate, stranger things have happened in F1.
Max ruffles feathers. We saw it in 2016 in Mexico with Vettel, and last year in Texas with Raikkonen. These big time, experienced drivers have never liked a younger guy stealing their thunder.
Jon (@johns23)
10th April 2018, 5:25
He got a puncture, reckless overtake by Max. Lewis shouldn’t complain as he wasn’t harmed by it. Max coped his whack. End of issue
Fzrniko (@fzrniko)
10th April 2018, 5:28
Lewis is right – Max could have and should have bided his time for maximum one extra lap to put Hamilton away but instead her shot his wad too early and took himself out of the race. Max = the new “torpedo”.