‘Idiot’ Ocon denies Verstappen after Interlagos collision

Max Verstappen labelled Esteban Ocon a “f ****** idiot” after the Red Bull driver was robbed of a brilliant victory following a sensational collision at yesterday’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

Verstappen was in complete control of the race after passing both Mercedes and both Ferrari cars in a superb performance at the Interlagos circuit. But it was Lewis Hamilton who claimed the tenth victory of his championship-winning campaign – and his second career victory at Interlagos – after Verstappen was taken out of the lead when attempting to lap Force India’s Ocon.

Ocon, running way down the order, bizarrely raced wheelto-wheel at 200mph with the leader before banging into the right-rear of Verstappen’s car through the Senna Esses.

The force of the hefty impact on lap 43 sent Verstappen into a spin, and with the Dutchman facing the wrong way, Hamilton sailed by to resume the lead.

Verstappen was now five seconds down on Hamilton, and – with a wounded car – he was unable to claw the Mercedes back in before he finished in second.

Ocon was hit with a ten-second stop-and-go penalty, the most severe punishment available to the stewards, but it will come as little consolation to a furious Verstappen.

Kimi Raikkonen finished third for Ferrari, but it was not enough to stop Hamilton’s Mercedes team from winning their fifth-consecutive constructors’ championship.

“What a f ****** idiot,” yelled a furious Verstappen over the radio after the incident with Ocon, and after the chequered flag he added: “I don’t know what to say. I hope I can’t find him now in the paddock.”

Daniel Ricciardo took fourth for Red Bull ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Sebastian Vettel.

The final race of the season is at Abu Dhabi on 25 November.