Max Verstappen has accused Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton of taking the easy option in blaming him for their collision in Bahrain last weekend. The 20-year-old Red Bull driver also said that he would not be doing anything different as a result of the incident.
Asked why Hamilton had blamed him, Verstappen replied ahead of today's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai: "Because it's quite simple and easy to blame the younger driver."
The two collided on the second lap last Sunday as Verstappen tried to overtake.
Hamilton went on to finish third but the coming together punctured a tyre on Verstappen's car, eventually damaging the gearbox and forcing him to retire.
Verstappen compared his inside overtake move to a similar one he pulled off in Mexico last year on the way to victory.
"Last year in Mexico it could have gone wrong as well, maybe for me, maybe for another car. As you could see ... it didn't," he said.
Verstappen has taken Formula One by storm since making his debut as a 17-year-old with the Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso team in 2015.
His speed, aggression and race craft have won admirers, but also led to run-ins with rivals, notably Ferrari pair Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.
Hamilton had always spoken of the man he sees as a future champion in glowing terms, but was heard swearing in reference to Verstappen as he watched replays of last Sunday's incident before the podium celebrations and later accused the Red Bull driver of lacking respect.
Asked if he would talk to Hamilton ahead of today's race, Verstappen said: "It depends if it's really necessary."..