Despite being a three-time drivers’ champion, Verstappen often fails to perform when racing wheel-to-wheel against a competitive rival driver for another team. Throughout his career at the height of motorsport, questions remained over his ability to fight clean and fair.

F1 rules gave Max Verstappen a ‘free pass’ to force Carlos Sainz into Mexico GP

Lewis Hamilton has learned the hard way that Verstappen will push the limits in his desperation to stay ahead of a title rival in 2021. The Mercedes driver has been forced off the road at Imola, Barcelona and especially Brazil during a title fight titanic, but controversial, which year.

This term, it was Lando Norris who found out the extremes to which Verstappen will go in his bid to remain at the front in a title fight. The McLaren and Red Bull duo first came into contact during Austrian Grand Prix when Verstappen hit Norris and saw that the British must retire.

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Controversy continued to surround the Dutchman in Austin, Texas when Norris received a five-second penalty for overtaking Verstappen off the circuitdespite the Red Bull ace forcing him out on lap 52. Verstappen also escaped a penalty for forcing Norris out in L1.

After escaping penalties at the US Grand Prix, Verstappen felt he could force his way out Carlos Sainz stopped at the beginning GP Mexico Cityalso. He left the pole Ferrari they were running out of space on the outside as the Dutchman came through to lead from second on the grid.

For HillVerstappen made “no effort” to give Sainz the space the Ferrari driver deserved at the start of the Mexico City GP. But the 1996 Formula 1 champion adds that the Red Bull ace was under no obligation to give way as the FIA’s racing guidelines leave the scope of the state.

“So on lap 1, Max made no effort to give Carlos any room. And why should he?” Hill noted on X (formerly Twitter). “The rules give you a free pass. C’est la guerre.”

Max Verstappen given two 10 second penalties for forcing Lando Norris off the track

Hill ended his post with the French phrase C’est la guerre, which means this is war in English to further highlight his feelings about Verstappen overtaking Sainz at the start of the Mexico City GP. It was not the last controversial moment in which the Red Bull driver was involved.

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Verstappen continued to try to jump the rope with regulations, while Norris tried to steal second soon after Sainz went into lap 9 with DRS. The Brit saw a chance to get ahead of his title rival on L10 with DRS at Turn 4. But Verstappen once again forced Norris off the road.

Verstappen again simply ran Norris off the road at Turn 7 as he immediately looked to overtake the Bristol-born driver. The Dutchman made no attempt to stay on track when he brought down the inside of the McLaren, causing one of the two 10-second penalties he earned.

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