Max Verstappen stokes Lewis Hamilton rivalry with frank remark ahead of Mexican GP

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton won’t be eating together anytime soon following remarks made by the Red Bull driver. The Dutchman currently leads Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, by 12 points in the drivers’ standings with just five races of the 2021 season to go.

That’s after an epic duel between the pair at the US Grand Prix last Sunday, where Verstappen, 24, undercut the British driver with their respective pit-stops, and then held him off in a thrilling final few laps.

There is still drama aplenty to come no doubt, with the next Grand Prix in Mexico on Sunday, November 7, the first of three races in consecutive weeks with meetings in Brazil and Qatar duly following afterwards.

The campaign will then culminate in December with races in Saudi Arabia (December 5) and Abu Dhabi (December 12).

Tension between Verstappen and Mercedes driver Hamilton, 36, has simmered all season especially after two track collisions between the pair.

JUST IN: McLaren star Lando Norris and CEO Zak Brown shown ropes on the golf course by Ian Poulter

“It’s good,” he insisted. “I mean, we’re how competitors should be.

“We’re not exactly going to have dinner together but that’s fine. You have that competitive spirit and we always try to beat each other on track, but also try to respect each other off track as well.”

When asked about the flash points this season, he remained composed: “So far there have been some tense moments, but overall it’s been all right.”

Media storms followed both the British and Italian Grand Prix’s, but he claimed the frenzies – just like the pressure of the title race this year – haven’t affected him mentally.