Carrying a 47 point lead with just 120 left to play for, slowly but surely Max Verstappen is inching towards a fourth consecutive F1 World Championship.
Having been a class apart for each of the last two seasons, the Dutchman certainly hasn’t had it all his own way this year and with Ferrari and McLaren having shown vastly improved form, the battle for ultimate F1 glory could go all the way to the final race in Abu Dhabi.
His nearest challenger in the driver’s standings is Lando Norris and over the last two Grands Prixs in Austin and Mexico City, the two have raced wheel to wheel and have been incredibly lucky not to have taken each other off the track.
With neither refusing to give an inch, it was Norris who was penalised in Austin whilst in Mexico it was Verstappen’s time to feel the wrath of the Race Stewards after forcing Norris off the track.
Hit with two ten second penalties for reckless and dangerous driving, Verstappen’s on track aggression was once again called into question with many of the sport’s great and good criticising the World Champion for driving in an unsafe and dangerous way.
Mexico wasn’t the first time that Verstappen’s driving style had been called out, and for many, there is a fear that his refusal to give up space and respect other drivers could lead to a major incident.
Damon Hill leads with criticism of Verstappen and his driving style
Formula 1 is a fraternity with many of its past champions still having an active role within the sport. Since his retirement from F1, Damon Hill has carved out a brilliant reputation for his broadcast skills and often isn’t shy in letting people know his opinions.
Reflecting on the aftermath of the incident between Norris and Verstappen in Mexico, the 1996 World Champion was scathing in his assessment of how Verstappen handled the occasion.
‘The problem that Max has is he simply refuses to concede any turf at all, to anyone, in an overtake. In the exit of Turn 4, he clearly makes a beeline for the edge of the track to prevent Lando from having any chance at all. The aerial footage is very clear to me, he made no attempt to back off and make the corner and leave room for Lando. It was just simply a case of: ‘You’re not coming through.’
For Norris, he clearly felt that his rival had crossed a line: ‘I look forward to having good battles with him. I want to have them. It makes me smile and what I love about racing. It’s why I do it in a way. Things like today, it’s a bit too far.
We both could have been out of the race and I just think that’s not how you should race. Maybe some will disagree and say I am wrong. I think today was a step too far. I think Max will know that, I hope, and then we can go ahead to have some more clean, fair battles because I look forward to them.’
Verstappen’s latest penalties didn’t seem to surprise any of the other drivers on the grid with long time rival Lewis Hamilton stating, ‘I could see a group of cars ahead and I saw a plume of smoke, of dust and I knew it was him. I knew it must have been him!’
Despite his greatness, Verstappen hasn’t been able to shake off the moniker that his driving style at times has the ability to cross a line and it is refusal to acknowledge this criticism that has led him to be one of the most divisive drivers on the grid.
Although he is in the spotlight, you can be assured that by the time the Brazilian Grand Prix starts Verstappen won’t be changing his style for anybody.
Brazilian Grand Prix to play a vital role in title race
With races running out, the Brazilian Grand Prix will play a vital part in deciding who will be crowned champion at the end of the 2024 season. As excitement builds around this crucial race, fans are closely watching the rivalry between Verstappen and Norris. In fact, new betting sites in Canada are buzzing with predictions, believing that Verstappen, despite recent controversies, is still the man to beat in São Paulo. These platforms offer fans a chance to engage with the race in new ways, reflecting the high stakes and drama that the Brazilian track is known for. With Norris trying to reduce the gap at the top and Ferrari aiming for their third consecutive win, everything looks set for one of the best races of the season.
