“Lewis [Hamilton] just feels threatened by Max”– Max Verstappen’s father highlights insecurity of seven-time world champion after Red Bull ace challenged him

“Lewis [Hamilton] just feels threatened by Max”– Jos Verstappen mentioned that the seven-time world champion is threatened by his son.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are the two protagonists of this year’s championship fight. The competition between them has been more intense than seen in the last five years.

So, the hostility between them is at an all-time peak. However, Verstappen’s entourage started to make sly digs at Hamilton back in 2019, when his father, Jos Verstappen, first criticized the Briton.

After the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix, Jos said Hamilton was threatened by his son. He told Ziggo Sport: “I know what it is. Lewis just feels threatened by Max. Let’s get a good car next year. Then we’ll see. Max is in their head and you can tell by everything.”

The comments by Verstappen Snr. were made after Hamilton criticized the Red Bull ace for clashing with Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas at the 2019 US Grand Prix.

Hamilton said after the incident: “I spoke to Max even before the race, and I was like, ‘Dude, you’re such a great racer, man. Let’s squash whatever there is between us because it’s just fake; it’s nothing. Whatever beef [there is], let’s get rid of it. Let’s go out there and have a great race’.

“He’s a champion of the future and I’m going to work as hard as I can to stop that happening for a while, but I’m enjoying racing with him.”

The competition has only soured

This year, Verstappen and Hamilton have already clashed twice, and those moments are undoubtedly defining moments of this year’s championship race.

The two events have also compelled Red Bull and Mercedes’ leadership to spew words against each other. Moreover, at times even the two drivers have been vocal about their resentments.

So overall, it has been a blockbuster show, as the championship remains far from unresolved with only seven races to go in the season.