© Mercedes-Benz AG
Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya says Max Verstappen pushed Lewis Hamilton off the track on purpose, because “if they crash he gains points”.
On “This Week with Will Buxton” Juan Pablo Montoya gave his comments on Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton’s Brazilian Grand Prix incident.
The Colombian also commented on the FIA’s decision not to penalise Verstappen, even though at the Austrian Grand Prix both Sergio Perez and Lando Norris were penalised for forcing a rival off the track.
“In Austria, when people were going side by side and the guy on the outside wasn’t given enough room in the corner, because there was gravel, they were penalised, the guy in the inside and here that guy drove him completely off the race track. How do you justify [that]?” Montoya asked Buxton.
“Why is Max getting away with this and some other guys don’t? I mean, are they applying the rules the same for everybody?
If you like SilverArrows.Net, consider supporting us by buying us a coffee!
“Or is Max getting treated differently because he’s young or whatever you want to call it? I’m gonna put another name out there. If [Nikita] Mazepin did that would he then been penalised?”
Montoya even went a step further and said he believes Max pushed Lewis wide on purpose.
“My honest opinion, the way I think Max looks at it is: if they crash he gains points. As long as Lewis doesn’t finish ahead of him, he’s in a better situation for the championship.
“Lewis was alongside him and cleared him in the braking zone. There was no way, as late as he braked, he was gonna make the corner.
“I don’t think he had much of an intention of making the corner. I don’t have anything against Max. I actually really like Max and Red Bull, and they’ve done an amazing job to bring the fight to Mercedes.
“But I think they’re being surprised of how good Mercedes was,” concluded the Colombian.
