F1 News: Max Verstappen Slams Lewis Hamilton Over Recent Driving Performance

Red Bull drive and current Driver Standings leader Max Verstappen has slammed Lewis Hamilton after the 7-time world champion took a dig at him after his clean bit of driving alongside Charles Leclerc last weekend.

During the Sunday of the British Grand Prix, Hamilton and Charles Leclerc battled wheel-to-wheel as they reached the closing laps of the Silverstone race. But in a moment of perfect driving, both cars drove through Copse Corner as the Ferrari driver overtook the Silver Arrow in the outside.

This move was later compared to the rivalry between Verstappen and Hamilton during the 2021 British Grand Prix on the same corner. Similarly to this year, Hamilton had the inside line but hit Verstappen as he drove to the outside of the track. The result of this was one Red Bull nestled into the barriers.

Hamilton was asked about his fight with Leclerc where he complimented the driver’s “sensible” driving. But when Verstappen heard about this interview, he was keen to throw punches.

“I think it’s great that, when you’re 37 years old, at some point you understand how to get to an apex,” Verstappen said sarcastically to journalist Erik van Haren.

“He does learn, so that’s positive for the younger drivers: when you’re 37 you still stay always learning!

“You can clearly see it in the images, of course. Charles gave him less space than I did last year, so that says enough. Moreover, he received a penalty last year, so you should not talk about that.”

Today the drivers begin the weekend of the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. Verstappen leads the pack with 34 points over his teammate Sergio Perez, who is 9 points ahead of Leclerc.

Verstappen was asked if Hamilton’s joke about his driving would affect him this weekend, in which he admitted it would have “no effect on my performance”.

“I just have to concentrate on what we’re doing here,” he said. “I think we’re doing pretty well this year. That’s what I’m concentrating on.”