Impeding, Verstappen replies to Hamilton: "He blocked me"

Always them

They can stay quiet for a while, especially now that they are no longer ‘forced’ to compete for the same goal, but in the end Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton – the historic antagonists of the unforgettable 2021 world championship race – seem toor always destined to collide with each other. The umpteenth chapter of a rivalry that is already in the history books of Formula 1 was experienced in Austria, during the Sprint Shootout, the qualification that serves to define the starting grid of the Sprint race. The episode went around the web in a few minutes: Hamilton involuntarily slows down Verstappen on the last corner, the Dutchman joins his rival, overtakes him in turn 1 and essentially gets in front of him. preventing him from completing his timed lap and leading to an early elimination in Q1.

Annoyed Mercedes

The incident, to the surprise of many, was not investigated by the FIA. Mercedes has not lodged a complaint against the reigning champion, in order not to risk indirectly favoring Ferrari. Within the Brackley team, however, everyone stigmatized Verstappen’s move, defined as a “reaction foul“.

“One impeding was not intentional, while the other was”Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff noted. Even Hamilton did not hide his frustration, declaring after the Sprint: “I think Max got in my way this morning, 100%“. But what does the Dutch think? Asked at a press conference about the episode, Verstappen certainly didn’t offer his apologies to his English rival, quite the contrary.

Max’s version

“He blocked me at the last corner – the #1 of Red Bull dryly replied – qSo I had to brake more and I lost about three tenths. It wasn’t ideal and I don’t think it was corrected”. Verstappen then also justified his overtaking maneuver carried out on the finish line, in the approach to turn 1, judged by many as an immediate revenge, aimed at hindering Hamilton’s last fast lap. “There were still a few seconds on the clock – instead declared Verstappen – and I wasn’t sure my lap time would be enough. So I wanted to continue, but I ran out of time and there was no more room with two cars paired like that. Sin”.