Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has expressed his confusion regarding his frequent crashes with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton during on-track battles in recent years. Speaking to Motorsport, Verstappen suggested that he and Hamilton are more prone to colliding when racing hard than other drivers, despite his efforts to race in the same way with all competitors.
Verstappen hinted that the reason for this could be a generational gap between the two drivers and their approaches to racing. He said, “Maybe it’s just a generation thing, that [the younger drivers] understand each other better, we are racing nicer to each other. I don’t get it.” Verstappen went on to cite the example of his battle with George Russell during the Brazil race weekend in 2022, which he described as “incredible,” as evidence that he does not race any differently with Hamilton than with other drivers.
Verstappen also clarified that he did not mean any criticism towards Hamilton, as he has always respected him for his achievements in the sport. However, he admitted that he was frustrated that he and Hamilton couldn’t race as he had with other drivers. He said, “Of course, everyone is different in their approach.”
Verstappen’s comments come after several high-profile crashes with Hamilton in recent seasons, with the most notable being their collision at the 2021 British Grand Prix. Despite these incidents, both drivers have continued to compete fiercely against each other on the track.
