The collision between Max Verstappen and George Russell in the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix has been the most popular talking point recently. As per the latest development, Damon Hill has sided with the Red Bull driver for standing his ground in Lap 2 of the Sprint.
Speaking about this in F1 Nation Podcast, Hill said, “When you go into the sidepod of someone, you damage their aero and potentially get them out of the race, then that it probably a bit too much.”
Max Verstappen did not hold back on his thoughts regarding Russell’s Lap 1 moves 😬#AzerbaijanGP #F1Sprint pic.twitter.com/Fc0W9fTUMU
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 29, 2023
Having said he would like to see less contact, the 1996 F1 world champion also asserted that such moves shouldn’t be encouraged even if there’s an ask to make the sport more exciting.
The contact of RB-19 with that of W-14 punched a hole in the Red Bull’s sidepod. This resulted in a significant loss of time and in the end, the Dutchman lost around seven-tenths per lap.
Hill explained Verstappen’s “princess” claim on Russell
As per reports, the two-time world champion has called the young Mercedes driver a “princess” in front of Dutch media. While this has been a rather interesting take for the fans, a part of them certainly didn’t like this from the part of the Dutchman.
Referring to this, Hill said that the drivers such as Verstappen and Russell are young. They are just 25 years old and they all belong to the same generation, so they “make it known that they are not to be messed with.”
Max Verstappen told Dutch media that “Princess George” was to blame during their battle in Saturday’s Sprint 👀 pic.twitter.com/jDtZIcnphq
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) April 30, 2023
He further stated that the drivers fought in these sorts of competitions such as F3, F2, or F1 all their lives, and they “can’t be the weak link, and hence they punch their chest out from time to time”, the British former F1 driver revealed.
Verstappen vs Russell’s Baku Saga
The start of saga began when Verstappen decided to confront Russell at the end of the race. The Dutchman’s feisty move was believed to have come after the Mercedes driver tangled with him right after the start of the sprint.
As the 25-year-old came to confront the Silver Arrows driver, the duo had a verbal brawl about not having space. This was followed by the defending champion calling Russell a “d*ckhead“.
Speaking to the media after the spat, the 25-year-old shared that Verstappen let himself down with his antics after the race. All in all, it was an intense off-track battle between the two talented and fierce drivers.
