07/01/2023
NEWS STORY
"Maybe it's just a generation thing," says Max Verstappen as he admits that he is at a loss to explain his numerous clashes with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Despite the understandable bad feeling following the manner in which the 2021 title was decided, the shortcomings of the Mercedes W13 meant that Lewis Hamilton was unable to take the fight to Max Verstappen in the way he wished for much of 2022.
Nonetheless, as the Mercedes improved, we witnessed glimpses of the ill-tempered rivalry, never more so than in Brazil by which time the Silver Arrows were able to give the Bulls a run for their money.
At the restart that followed the Safety Car period after Daniel Ricciardo's clash with Kevin Magnussen, Verstappen made a move on Hamilton, attempting to go around the outside of the Mercedes in Turn 1. The Briton gave no quarter, and as they headed into Turn 2 they touched sending shards of carbonfibre flying.
Hamilton momentarily went off track, actually using the pitlane exit while Verstappen lost a number of positions and subsequently had to pit.
The clash was at odds with how Verstappen had fought his other challengers for much of the season, suggesting that the Dutchman reserves antagonism for his British nemesis.
"I have to be careful what I'm saying here," he tells Motorsport.com. "With everyone I've been fighting this year, it's been really hard, aggressive battles. But we never really came together. Somehow with Lewis it's a different story, and I honestly don't understand.
"This year, ok, we haven't really had a lot of battles but in Brazil we got together," he continues. "It wasn't my intention but I got the blame for it, which I didn't find fair.
"If it would've been more of a racing incident, that I could live with," he admits. At the time it looked like neither driver was willing to compromise through the corner, leading to a collision.
"I don't feel like I'm doing anything different to Lewis or to the other drivers in terms of how we're racing," he insists. "Maybe it's just a generation thing.
"Of course everyone is different in their approach. I know that Charles is a bit different to George, or to Carlos or to Checo or whoever. The day before with George, we were having an incredible battle, closing the door, defending, out-braking each other," he says of the Sprint. "That was a lot of fun. I was trying to do the same in the main race, having that kind of battle. But unfortunately we couldn't get it to work."
Asked about the "I have to be careful what I'm saying" caveat, he admits: "In England this can very quickly be received as criticism, and then I'm being called out on it. Immediately it's taken as criticism, and then people start to hate on you. That's not my intention.
"I always respect Lewis a lot for what he has achieved in the sport. That's why I don't really understand why we cannot really race like I've been doing with the others."