Lewis Hamilton expected Max Verstappen to be involved in a collision when he saw a “plume of smoke” in front of him during the opening lap of the Mexican Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton has admitted that he thought Max Verstappen was involved in an incident when he saw a “plume of smoke” in the opening minutes of the Mexican Grand Prix.
The Dutchman collided twice with Lando Norris on lap 10 of 71 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, but the Mercedes driver had a good look going into Turn 7.
Verstappen ultimately received a 10-second penalty for running off the track with the McLaren, which was adjudged to have been off the track, sending Norris off and giving him a permanent advantage.
Coupled with an equivalent penalty for pushing the 24-year-old out of Turn 4, the Red Bull driver had to wait 20 seconds in his only pit stop of the race.
Verstappen moved up to sixth, while Norris finished in second, but it could have been victory for the Briton, had it not been for the three-time drivers’ title winner.
While Hamilton confirmed he hadn’t seen the reaction yet heading into Turn 7, he wasn’t at all surprised his former rival had played a role in the drama unfolding before him on the track.
“I didn’t see it,” the seven-time F1 champion told RacingNews365 and other media. “I saw a group of cars in front of me and I saw a column of smoke, like dust, and I knew it was him, that it was (Verstappen),” the 39-year-old added with a laugh, “it was probably him.”
Hamilton is familiar with Verstappen’s approach to racing, having faced off against the Red Bull driver on a number of occasions during their close battle for the F1 drivers’ championship throughout a “highly contentious 2021 season”.
After the late race drama between Norris and Verstappen at the Circuit of the Americas, driving standards were a hot topic in Mexico this weekend.
The winner of the 105th Grand Prix was particularly outspoken regarding his head-to-head with Verstappen and the stewards’ response to the 27-year-old’s approach.
“It’s always been a grey area,” Hamilton said ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix, “which is why he (Verstappen) got away with it for so long.”
“I’ve had this happen a few times with Max, where you put the car in the inside lane and then you get ahead and you get further ahead and you can’t maintain your position.
