Formula One news - F1 rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen play down risk of collision as duel moves to Monaco
ByReuters
Published 19/05/2021 at 18:10 GMT+1
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton's Formula One rivalry heads to Monaco this weekend with the pair set to duel it out again in their championship battle. And the Dutchman hit back at suggestions that a crash is inevitable if their racing style continues, saying: "We never try to crash, do we? It’s just good to make a few interesting headlines like that."
Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton talks to Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen after the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix race at the Circuit de Catalunya on May 9, 2021 in Montmelo on the outskirts of Barcelona. (Photo by Emilio Morenatt
Image credit: Getty Images
Max Verstappen pushed back on Wednesday against suggestions he and Lewis Hamilton were sure to collide at some point and that he had something to prove in the Formula One championship battle.
McLaren boss Zak Brown said last week the rivalry could create a chance for his team because "it is just a matter of time until both are determined to not let up into turn one and neither come out".
Red Bull's Verstappen and Mercedes' seven times world champion have gone wheel to wheel in all four races so far, with Hamilton winning three to the Dutch driver's sole success.
And Hamilton told reporters ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix that he had done well to avoid incidents.
"We’ve got 19 more (races) to go and we could connect, hopefully not," said the Briton. "I think there is a nice balanced amount of respect between us... he feels perhaps he has a lot to prove. I’m not necessarily in the same boat there and I'm more long term 'it's a marathon not a sprint' mentality.
"I'll continue with that and I'll do everything to make sure that we avoid connecting."
Verstappen, for his part, says he has nothing to prove.
"Avoiding contact, I think it goes both ways. So we have done well, that's true," he added. "But yeah, we race hard, we avoided the contact both sides. Let’s hope we can keep doing that and keep being on track and race hard against each other."
He bristled when asked about what Brown had said.
"I honestly don’t know what to say any more about these things," he replied. "We never try to crash, do we? It’s just good to make a few interesting headlines like that.
"I guess it will have a bit more viewers when you say 'it’s a matter of time' instead of saying we had some great races so far."
Four times world champion Sebastian Vettel said those on the outside did not fully appreciate how fine the margins were, how easily things could go wrong and how well the top two were driving.
"Nobody wants to take the other car out or himself out, because the risk of getting it wrong is just so high," said the German.
"So far, they have done really well and I think it shows the class that they both have."
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