Lewis Hamilton questions Verstappen's maturity
- Published on 10 Apr 2018 11:19
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- By: Rob Veenstra
World champion Lewis Hamilton has questioned Max Verstappen's maturity. A controversy broke out after the Bahrain grand prix, where Hamilton called his Dutch rival a "d------d" following a clash.
But Sebastian Vettel leapt to the defence of Hamilton's "human" reaction, and even Verstappen agreed. "At the moment he said that, he was still full of adrenaline," Verstappen, 20, told Het Laaste Nieuws. "He'd just got out of the car. So it happens."
But Verstappen's boss Christian Horner had gone a step further, saying that racing incidents are exactly what fans want to see. "It's interesting to hear that from Christian because they've got a car that should be getting good results," Hamilton said.
"And I don't know if they're inexperienced or not totally mature decisions, but they (Red Bull) are not getting the results they should." Hamilton added: "I think to myself if Fernando was in that car he would have finished a decent race and got points for Red Bull."
But former Minardi driver Christijan Albers sides with Horner, saying that when drivers race, they will often clash. "In my view Verstappen was past Hamilton, so he is allowed to determine his line. Only Hamilton showed 'I am not afraid, I do not give up' and then it happens. Who knows, perhaps Verstappen will think again next time he's with Hamilton," Albers told Algemeen Dagblad newspaper. (GMM)
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Replies (18)
Login to replycalle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Rich coming from Hammy, mind. Like me calling someone else skinny.
renaultFanF1
Posts: 80
I think it's very telling. To hear someone like Lewis calling someone immature, that someone has to be ... a rich spoiled brat ?
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
I find Verstappen a tad childish, but Hsmmy is 20% vomit and 80% that feeling you get when you remember that you swallow spiders in your sleep.
renaultFanF1
Posts: 80
Honestly, I thought that Hammy is in the league of his own regarding childish and self-centered behavior, but Max is proving to be on the same level. Never his fault, never admitting error, everyone else should stand aside for him... definitely the most arrogant and repulsive person on the grid
f1ski
Posts: 726
I guess when Hamilton ran Massa wide in the tunnel at Monaco .
Driving aggressively especially when passing is immature? That's racing. Defending your position that's racing. Immaturity is when knowing how your opponent will react to defend will plac your car in greater danger than theirs and still persist
That's immaturity
Rindtchamp
Posts: 304
Frying pan calling the kettle "grimy arse" here.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Exactly! Also, I love that saying, for some silly reason!
Patentprutser
Posts: 388
Please Hammilton, move on!!
It was a racing incident, stop whining
Norbert
Posts: 108
Max is as talented as Hammy was at that age but Lewis was always demure and soft spoken and I never saw him being vindictive. It was the end of the move where Verstappen could have hugged Alonso’s line but he allowed his wheel to open and the car to drift even wider to chop Hamilton right at the end. It’s subtle, but I think he was aiming to put him in dirt like some saloon racer. Maybe in that instant Hamilton should have lifted as Verstappen was about ¾ of a length ahead and can theoretically “choose his own line.” But he was leaving enough room already.
The immaturity part was that Max risked putting himself out of the race as well as Hamilton, and it looked to me like he did it on purpose as a coup de grace flourish. It wasn’t enough that he was going to pass Alonso and Hamilton at the same time. He wanted to see Ham go down also. We know he is good enough that he could have kept the width of a sheet of paper between himself and Hamilton if he had truly wanted to avoid. Then again, maybe he just misjudged as he opened his line for more speed. That was a heck of a couple of moves to make in a corner. Either way it’s a racing incident but any driver less diplomatic than Ham might have cursed him worse.
2GRX7
Posts: 108
Finally, a proper assessment! Thank you!
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Remember though: Hammy was reigned in by McLaren. Verstappen isnt reigned in by RBR, snd neither is Hammy from Merc'. We see them as they are now.
Pauli
Posts: 140
There can be also problem of following a car that Max had reduced grip in the mid corner because Fernando was leaving dirty air to the Max's line. But I remember last year there was similar situation twice in a race between Max and Sebastian. Then there was first Sebastian defending and opening line to kerbs from the corner where Max have lift. Then a few laps late Max managed to complete the move and similarly opened line to kerbs to force Sebastian wide. Sebastian choose to go wide instead of lifting like Max did.. Those overtakes could have easily ended to crash like this too.
KyalamiKid
Posts: 146
pre season he was so looking forward to the battles with Max...
What happened Ham, battles a bit too hard for you?
And what s up with kissing Alonso's arse every opportunity he gets?
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Same old, same old. Hammy likes a challenge, as long as it consists of him coasting along to a safe win.
mcbhargav
Posts: 1,332
Wow! Hammy using Fernando to throw dirt on Verstappen.
RenaultFM1
Posts: 100
Dickhead
Evelknievel
Posts: 1
Here’s a thought from me that I haven’t read anything about yet.
Maybe Hamilton was to comitted not to give Max the raceline, after Alonso did the same thing a couple of corners before?
Just look back at the start: Alonso passes on Hamilton in a right turn, forcing him offtrack to avoid a collission. Hamilton goes completely wide to give Alonso room, well beyond the curbs.
Maybe Hamilton thought: “no not again, this time I’ll stick” when Max did the same thing?
Nobody likes to be overtaken, certainly not Hamilton.
boudy
Posts: 1,168
There was more in this than just an racing incident. Hamilton's ego got an thump when Verstappen overtook him, I think there was an calculated risk by Hamilton the leave his front in that place, there was plenty of room there, your only talking about 50 centimetres or so. The commentary in Britain has been tainted towards Hamilton for a long time and they can simply see no wrong in him.
However I am not in favour of any penalty with the understanding that the next time that Hamilton/Rosberg/Vettel/Kimi gets damage in an similar incident the other driver should not be penalised.