Damon Hill fumes at ‘salty’ Verstappen after demands to ‘scrap’ rule

Damon Hill has claimed Max Verstappen is “salty” and a “sore loser” after the Dutchman demanded new F1 rule changes are reversed. Verstappen attacked the new race double qualifying format after finishing P3 in Saturday’s sprint race. 

He made the remarks moments after a row with George Russell in a frustrating afternoon for the reigning champion. Speaking in the press conference, Verstappen said: “Just scrap the whole thing. It’s important to go back to the old thing. It’s important that all teams can fight for the win. 

“That is what we should fight for then introduce these artificial things. I got bored during qualifying. You should have one qualifying when you just put everything in it, and I enjoyed that. Then we have to do it again today, my god. I didn’t really enjoy it.”

However, Hill claimed that Verstappen’s remarks were wrong as he urged the Red Bull star to focus on tomorrow’s race instead of moaning. 

He explained: “We should just give Max Verstappen the championship and just not bother with anything else. Sorry that’s just salty, he’s being a sore loser.”

Verstappen was unable to capitalise on his P3 grid start with his contact with Russell infuriating the reigning champion. Russell kept his nose on the side of turn two and whacked the sidepod creating a massive hole. 

Russell apologised after the race but Verstappen refused to hear his excuses as he blasted the ex-Williams star. The damage clearly affected his outright pace with Vertsappen unable to challenge Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez who took the win. 

After the race, Verstappen said: “I thought I was fair in turn two. I gave him enough space. I think he locked up. He tells me ‘I had cold tyres’. Well we all have cold tyres, that’s not an excuse. I don’t like it when somebody has that kind of reaction: ‘I didn’t do anything wrong’ and just walks off. It is what it is.

“I was not overtaking him. He was overtaking me. I’m just trying to stay out of trouble. It’s two views. It’s my views, it’s his view, whatever. [In his position] I would try to fight but not run into someone because that’s not what you want to do.”