The dominance of Max Verstappen knows no bounds as the Dutchman continues to decimate his opponents. He has faced immense criticism for his aggressive on-track antics over the last few years which has also led to certain crashes during certain races, adding to his infamous image. Discussing the same on the ‘Red Flags Podcast,’ the hosts credited Verstappen’s dictator-like traits as the reason why no one wants to “f*ck” with him. They also stated how this trait helped Verstappen win so much.
“Nobody wants to f*ck with this guy because they know he is a psycho and will crash into you.”
Matt Olisofon pointed out how Max Verstappen instilled a sense of fear into the hearts of every other driver on the grid. The often intense actions of Verstappen make it difficult for drivers to go head to head with him, as they fear they might not see the chequered flag in that race. Recalling the late Ayrton Senna, Olisofon pointed out a similarity between him and Verstappen. Both drivers would rather crash into their rivals than allow them to make a clean pass over them.
The aggressive driving style of Verstappen has reaped great rewards for him. Back in 2021, he engaged in an intense title fight with Lewis Hamilton. In the end, Verstappen prevailed, thanks to his aggressive driving. While Hamilton had experience on his side, Verstappen’s ability and his aggressive nature prevailed over everything else.
When Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen locked horns in 2021
In 2021, Hamilton and Verstappen produced a title battle for the ages. They did not give each other any space, which led to several infamous on-track clashes between the two. Most notably, the two of them came together at Copse in Silverstone, leading to Verstappen suffering a brutal crash.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton Crash in Monza 2021
This clash adds a dramatic chapter to their ongoing rivalry. #F1 #ItalianGP #HamiltonVsVerstappen pic.twitter.com/qQQNPXd4I0
— F1 Bulletin (@F1Bulletin) August 31, 2023
A few races later, Hamilton and Verstappen collided once more. The 2021 race in Monza saw the title challengers refuse to concede as they went wheel-to-wheel in each turn. As Hamilton made his way out of the pit lane, Verstappen refused to slow down. The first chicane after the pit saw the two drivers come together once again, only this time, Verstappen’s car was on top of Hamilton’s.
Both drivers suffered a DNF following the incident. In the penultimate race, when Verstappen was instructed to let Hamilton through because of an illegal pass, the Dutchman brake-checked him, causing damage to his front wing.
Eventually, Verstappen won the drivers’ championship in the last lap of the last race of 2021. More importantly, though, the Dutchman earned an infamous image. He became the ‘dictator’ of F1, with many drivers somewhat afraid of going head-to-head against him.
