SCOOT TO GET HIM
Max rails against beaks and Lewis
RATTLED Max Verstappen has claimed he is being victimised by Formula One officials.
And in the build-up to Sunday’s winner-takes-all showdown in Abu Dhabi, the Dutchman made clear his growing dislike for title rival Lewis Hamilton.
Asked if his opinion of the seventimes champion and Mercedes had changed over the course of a dramatic season, Verstappen said: “Yes, very much so. And not in a positive way.”
The Red Bull driver, 24, did not elaborate but did repeatedly accuse F1 stewards of treating him differently from every other driver, including Hamilton.
He said: “It seems other drivers do the same things and only I get a penalty. The only
FORMULA ONE
thing I ask is it’s fair for everyone. That’s not the case.” Vertsappen was penalised three times at last Sunday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, for forcing the Brit off the track and for braking in front of Hamilton and causing a collision. The Dutchman said: “Only I was wrong. Other people got nothing. “We were both off the track. Somehow, they judged it was my fault, which I don’t agree with and I don’t agree with the other penalty. “Afterwards, he pushed me off the track and he even looks at me and pushes me off the track and only gets a warning for that.” The bitter rivals are level on points ahead of the Abu Dhabi finale but Verstappen, having won one more race, would win the title if neither car finished. That raised concerns about Verstappen possibly taking out Hamilton. But the champ said: “I don’t even let that creep into my mind. I believe everyone here racing comes to win. I would like to believe everyone wants to do it the right way.”