Tensions between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen erupted again at the Mexican Grand Prix. Hamilton, who finished fourth in the Grand Prix, drew attention to the importance of clean racing and implicitly contrasted his own approach with Verstappen’s notoriously aggressive style.
The criticism came after Verstappen’s aggressive tactics earned him two 20-second penalties and two points on his racing licence. Hamilton started the race in sixth place but quickly moved up the order.
“It was fun, it was fun today,” said Hamilton, the media after the race. “I cut a good start and did a very bad first business, I removed too much in front of the car, I have a huge and inadequate turning point, the second half of the race.
So we provided a valuable moment to Mercedes’ order. “After the stop I was able to correct it and then I had a much better pace and I was able to push and keep going and we stopped a little bit earlier than I had planned and everything.
We scored some good points.” Hamilton’s professional demeanour was highlighted in his handling of team-mate George Russell, who finished just ahead of him in a display of teamwork.
Despite Russell’s early advantage and an issue that compromised his race pace following contact with Oscar Piastri, both Mercedes drivers managed to finish without incident.
Reflecting on this internal battle, Hamilton pointed out the straightforward nature of racing against a teammate. “It’s quite simple, I don’t think any of us are stupid.
George is really smart and fair and really, really understands where to put his car,” said Hamilton, whose words seem like a calculated jab at Verstappen. “So when (the team) says on the radio, ‘Be clean,’ I’m like, ‘Of course.'”
“It’s no different to racing against someone else, except it’s your teammate, so you have to be doubly careful because you both want to finish.”
Meanwhile, Russell met the challenge with courage, despite his performance being hampered by damage from an early collision with Oscar Piastri.
“So, the pace looked pretty strong in the first stint, but then when I came out of the pits behind (Oscar) Piastri, going into the straight, my left front valve completely collapsed.
“I hit that bump, which probably cost me three or four tenths for the rest of the race, which was hard to maintain for 40 laps. I probably should have finished fifth after Friday.”
The Mexico Grand Prix became another competitive weekend for Verstappen, whose clashes with McLaren’s Lando Norris resulted in two ten-second penalties.
Verstappen’s movements involved forcing Norris out of the circuit at turn 4 and an aggressive movement on the turn 7. Incidents like these are reminders of the past, bringing back to their intense rivalry in 2021, where aggressive driving tactics and often controversial were often exposed to Verstappen and Hamilton
The implications of these penalties were substantial for Verstappen, reducing his championship advance and throwing a shadow on his efforts to maintain his position at the top. The defending champion now leads by just 47 points over Lando Norris, who finished sixth in Mexico.
