Max Verstappen

Or faulty Lewis???

 

Its hard to see in that image what is happing with the gas and brake when he was finally hit, but he was clearly off the gas and slowing down gently for almost 5 seconds where Lewis had a chance to easily drive past him but decided not to.

Do we also honestly think that if Lewis had to let Max by for whatever reason he would not have also been trying to do so 'strategically'? I think it was all Lewis to blame for running into the back of Max. He had no reason, other than trying to play games, to not take the position earlier on the straight.

 

Trying to think like LH when MV started slowing down to let him pass. LH was not aware that MV was told to let him pass. All he saw was Max driving somewhat erratically (as described in the FIA stewards verdict). LH believes MV has been trying to crash him since Brazil. I believe MV has been trying to do that every time LH tries to pass him. Turn 4 in Brazil was pretty obvious attempt to crash that LH avoided pretty skillfully to come back and overtake him later. LH thinks MV is pretty reckless and "crazy". Several other drivers including CL think the same. So I believe that's the source of LH's hesitation in passing MV while he was slowing down then accelerating and weaving a little bit in the middle of a narrow track. As LH was not aware that MV was ordered to let him pass, the DRS marker could not have been part of his calculus. The penalty was largely due MV stepping on the breaks suddenly and very forcefully with 69 bar pressure causing the car to decelerate at 2.4g.

 

I definitely agree Max's driving is a bit reckless, I just want Lewis to be beaten so badly that my views are definitely skewed in favor of Max and I enjoy watching him do whatever he can to stay ahead, even if it's over the gray line of the rulebook. But I watched a recording of the driver press conference after the race and a question was directed to Lewis asking why didn't he just drive around, and he himself brought up the DRS line as being one of the factors. But also looking at it from a different standpoint, what if Max had suddenly lost power and was slowing down due to a failed power unit? What kind of racing driver says "oh crap, this guy in front of me is going too slow" and stays behind instead of immediately driving around when that is what they have been trying to do in first place?

 

Agreed, and I heard Lewis mention the DRS line too. I wondered the same. I think Lewis should've just pass him unless he's so convinced that Max is out and out crazy that made him believe he could squeeze him into the wall in a narrow and confined alley. That's what head games do sometimes.

 

Check the red triangle. Max pressed the brakes. He went from 300kph to 100kph.

From the FIA document: link

 

I understand that in the end Max did hit the brake when Hamilton finally rear ended him, but there were nearly 5 seconds of Max slowing down more gradually and Hamilton sticking behind him on purpose, waiting for them to cross the DRS line first before going in front. Verstappen either momentarily lost her nerve that Hamilton was not passing him and did it on purpose to cause an accident, OR he was hoping that Hamilton was along side him instead of directly behind and that would cause Hamilton to get in front of him just before the DRS line.

There was definitely also confusion from both drivers because neither of them expected the other to behave the way they actually did in that situation. Hamilton expected Max to keep driving, at a constant speed I guess, until he decided he wanted to drive around, and Max was expecting Hamilton to go past as soon as he started slowing down and for him to be able to take advantage of a DRS to possibly retake the lead.

Lewis could have flown by Max and potentially gotten more than a second ahead to prevent giving the DRS to Max, and Max could have also aborted trying to give Lewis the position and bolted ahead, then if I were in Christian's position I would have argued with FIA that Max lost significant amount of time to attempt to give Lewis the position but he refused to take it and not even try a second time.

 

I saw that looked at laps remaining. Was not thinking they would go to the end. Was thinking why stop again lol??????????????

 

I think it was a calculated risk as someone else said here earlier to compensate for Max's P3 at the restart to improve his chance to get to P1 which worked. Only thing they needed to make it work fully was another red flag that didn't materialize. Don't think a yellow flag would've worked for them so it was pretty risky call given the reduced number of cars still racing by that time. Ferrari did similar thing for Sainz.

 

Earlier this season, I would have said Max was already there.
After yesterday's race it now looks like it will take missing another 2 WDCs for him to learn (this year and next so Max can finally be WDC in 2023).

 

It is now or almost never for Max. His sometimes seemingly desperate moves may be due to that. Doubt RB will be competing for title in the next couple of years not knowing who will be making their PU. Is it known where will they source their PU from after Honda leaves F1? Max's contract at RB will end at the end of the 2023 season. Where will he go after that depends on how he carries himself in the next couple of years. Right now he's pretty toxic for the leading teams while his dad is busy burning bridges with MB..

 

I don’t know a single top team that wouldn’t want to hire Max Verstappen.
Without him Red Bull would have won 3 or 4 races this year.

 

Would MB hire him to team up with GS after LH leaves/retire? Would Ferrari give him a seat to replace CL or CS? I think Ferrari got the best drivers team in F1 right now, and they'd be crazy to tamper with that chemistry. Would McLaren team him up with LN? Don't think so. I think its RB, TR or one of the mid/back field teams for Max.

 

Why would Max want to go to any other team besides MB IF the opportunity arises?

No other team has come this close to MB in the turbo-hybrid era.....except RedBull-Honda.

 

Jos states yesterday Max will never go to Mercedes. Relationship with Toto is done

 

That's where I would want to go if I were him too, but I'm not sure MB would be interested in him if GR whom they have been developing for a few years delivers as expected in the next couple of years. Maybe as a number 2 driver? but I don't think Max would be ready for that role in 2024. Like @DF1 said, his dad's statements are not helping either.

 

Prediction: Max deliberately crashes into Hamilton (as he has tried on multiple occasions the last 3 races!). And is disqualified from the F1 WDC. . ..

And then the Max fans will be crying forever!!!!

 

Read today RB is gathering evidence Max was not at fault with the collision and they are bringing it to the FIA when ready.
Also they will ask for Hamilton to be penalized.
Wonder if it’s true as I can’t find it anywhere else.
.
After the collision there was a cut in Verstappens rear tire which made him unable to push.

 

Never say never. Max is one helluva great driver, but there are 2 big negatives in his life; his attitude and his father. If Jos was kept away from Max, perhaps his attitude would improve.

 

I would not be surprised if RedBull try to get a penalty for Hamilton for hitting Verstappen, but I don't think it would make any difference even if they did give home some sort of penalty. Max has 15 seconds worth of penalties plus whatever the distance actually was to Hamilton at the end of the race.

In the end I can't wait to see the last race and am glad it's only a few days away. Just hope the battle goes on a bit longer and is not over on the first lap. Can't imagine how the stewards, and the fans would feel if we have to decide the Championship based on a penalty to any one driver.

 

They were BOTH playing for the DRS line and they were BOTH at fault for the car-to-car contact. But in the end Max did not let Lewis by, he accelerated after the crash. Max showed his immaturity, which I don't fault him for too much...he is only 23. But if he wants to be World Champion, he needs to grow up quick.

 

New cars next year - maybe Haas is the team to beat for the next years? LOL

 

Alonso's hoping Alpine's the team

 

Maybe max thought wth this guy wont pass and now is tring to crash me and took off. LULU is a snake dont forget that either.

 

Ok, I did say that Lewis was solely the one to blame earlier, but after some time to relax, I agree its really both of them that are at fault. I still disagree that Max should have gotten the 10 second penalty for that same reason. Though this is not exactly a 'racing' incident, being that they were trying to be slower than each other, that's how it should have been called.