Damon Hill calls on Red Bull to address Verstappen’s aggressive tactics, pushing for more strategic restraint in overtaking situations.
Damon Hill believes Red Bull should address Max Verstappen’s aggressive driving, noting that the Dutchman forced Lando Norris off the track four times over two races. According to the 1996 world champion, Christian Horner is overly protective of Verstappen.
“There has never been an attempt to publicly characterize his driver in a way others would recognize,” Hill said on the Sky Sports F1 Podcast. “Christian’s comments on Max are always protective. It almost feels like Max is free to do as he pleases.”
“His team will never criticize his driving. And I think if you’re in a competition, it’s probably right to address that publicly. But really, at some point, there needs to be a conversation. It’s the team’s responsibility to help shape the driver’s attitude.”
Verstappen received a 20-second penalty in Mexico, which Hill views as the FIA’s attempt to toughen sanctions to deter the Dutchman from repeat offenses: “Lando got a five-second penalty in Austin. I think the stewards clearly examined the situation.”
“They likely felt there was so much pressure and discussion around all of this that they needed to apply something more punitive. In each case, they imposed 10 seconds.”
“They decided this driver did something wrong twice and applied a 10-second penalty for each instance. Max’s issue is that he simply refuses to concede any ground to anyone during an overtake. That’s the situation.”
Hill is convinced that Verstappen’s methods are unsustainable in the long run, both for his competitors and for the integrity of Formula 1. The Dutchman has already used similar tactics against Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and Mick Schumacher, and Hill believes it severely detracts from the spectacle.
“His flaw is reverting to preventive tactics instead of staying within the bounds of fairness. How do you define fairness? It’s hard to define, but I truly believe you shouldn’t be allowed to use your car as a weapon and block the track.”
“Because you won’t see any overtaking if drivers are allowed to push others off and do as they please. There won’t be a single overtake because everyone will just sit back and think, ‘What’s the point, he’s going to push me off. Why bother trying?’”
F1 must avoid becoming a “demolition derby.”
Hill acknowledges that some past drivers, like Michael Schumacher or Ayrton Senna, also engaged in aggressive tactics. But as Senna’s former teammate, he believes it wasn’t the best side of Senna’s driving and calls on the FIA to regulate these excesses.
“Ayrton Senna was very ruthless with some of his tactics and aggression, and it was questioned at the time, the way he drove. I’m about to go to Brazil, and I don’t want to upset Senna’s fans, but they know he was a phenomenal competitor and that sometimes, his anger got the best of him.”
“That’s where the FIA or sporting authorities must step in. They need to be able to say, ‘We want competition, and we want to see that fire, but it has to be controlled.’”
“We can’t settle for a demolition derby just to hold a position or deny a place to others simply because you don’t want to be overtaken. There has to be a way to discipline the driver.”
“I think Max, if he continues like this, will one day question whether it was wise to drive this way in the long term. He has so much talent, so much ability. He could always use his skills to beat his opponents. It shouldn’t just be bumper cars out there.”
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Yield or Clash: Hill Warns Verstappen on Overconfidence Yield or Clash: Hill Warns Verstappen on Overconfidence
