F1 Azerbaijan GP: Damon Hill claims Max Verstappen has a ‘default mindset’ that he is ‘never at fault’

Max Verstappen had a clash with George Russell in the Baku sprint and blamed the incident on the Briton, fellow Briton champ Damon Hill

F1 Azerbaijan GP: Damon Hill claims Max Verstappen has a ‘default mindset’ that he is ‘never at fault’

Damon Hill and Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen, the Dutch driver for Red Bull Racing, is known for his aggressive driving style that has brought him both success and criticism. He has been involved in several on-track incidents over the years, and according to Damon Hill, a former Formula One World Champion, Verstappen has a belief that he is never at fault when it comes to aggressive driving and crashes are always the opponent’s fault after the sprint race incident with George Russell

“The default mindset of someone like Max is that they’re always right over,” said Hill. “Same with Michael [Schumacher], same with Ayrton Senna. It is basically they have to be the guys who don’t make mistakes, other people make mistakes.”

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This belief was on display during the Azerbaijan sprint race when Verstappen collided with George Russell, calling him a “d***head” in the aftermath. Starting from third on the grid, Verstappen made a sluggish start and came under attack from Russell. The Mercedes driver challenged him into Turn 2, where they made contact, ripping a hole in Verstappen’s RB19. The battle continued into Turn 3, where the Dutchman bounced off the wall.

Russell took the position, but on the restart after a Safety Car, Verstappen got his own back as he overtook the Mercedes driver to complete the sprint podium. However, Verstappen was fuming from the contact and confronted Russell after the race, calling him a “d**khead.”

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Damon Hill and George Russell express their surprise over Max Verstappen’s attitude

Max Verstappen and George Russell after Baku sprint
Max Verstappen and George Russell after the Baku sprint (Credits: SBNation.com)

Hill reiterated his belief that Verstappen always thinks he is in the right and others are at fault. “I don’t think George would feel bad about it at all,” he said. “He absolutely went for it. It’s as Max’s engineer said, they’ve got nothing to lose, and so he should have taken that into account.”

George Russell expressed surprise at Max Verstappen’s anger towards him after the Azerbaijan GP sprint race incident. Russell said, “From my side, his position was already lost, and ever since eight years old in go-karting, if you’re on the inside at the apex of a corner, it’s your corner.” He added that he was shocked that Verstappen was still trying to resist on the outside. Russell hopes the incident will teach Verstappen a lesson, and he believes that the moves were all on and Verstappen would have done the same if the roles were reversed.

In conclusion, Verstappen’s aggressive driving style and belief that he is never at fault regarding crashes are a cause for concern. While his talent on the track is undeniable, he must understand that he is not infallible and must take responsibility for his actions. Otherwise, incidents like the one with Russell will continue to occur, leading to more bad blood between drivers.

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