The world championship battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen has turned ugly, after Hamilton took out a controversial Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Verstappen finished second in scenes marred by a collision on lap 36, as the drivers drew level on 369.5 points ahead of next weekend’s final race of the season.
Verstappen was penalised five seconds during the race after an incident where he was accused of brake testing Hamilton, the Mercedes running into the back of the Red Bull.
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That came about as the result of drama between the pair at turn one, where Hamilton attempted to pass Verstappen, only for both cars to leave the track.
“This guy is f—ing crazy,” Hamilton said on the radio.
The Dutchman was then ordered by race control to cede the position to Hamilton, but in what appeared to be a mix-up Hamilton drove into the back of the slowing Red Bull.
“I didn’t quite understand why all of a sudden he hit the brakes pretty heavily,” Hamilton said.
“I ran into the back of him, and then he moved on. I didn’t understand what was going on.”
“There’s aggressive, determined, feisty racing, and then there’s what we saw this evening, which was too much,” ex-Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle said in commentary.
Valtteri Bottas finished third, ahead of Esteban Ocon and Daniel Ricciardo.
Earlier, Verstappen appeared to catch a lucky break, when the race was red-flagged following a crash by Mick Schumacher.
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Mercedes had already pitted Hamilton out of the lead, while Verstappen was then gifted a free tyre change under red-flag regulations.
It meant Verstappen was in front at the re-start, but Hamilton made the better getaway, with the Red Bull driver only able to reclaim the lead by driving off track.
“He’s cut across the whole kerb and re-passed me behind the white line,” Hamilton fumed on the radio.
Verstappen was then ordered to hand the place back, which he did during a second red-flag period, after a number of cars collided at the restart.
But once again the Red Bull made the better getaway, Hamilton tangling with Ocon as Verstappen regained the lead.
Hamilton eventually got a run on the Red Bull into turn one, and the fallout from the drama will reach far and wide.
The championship will be decided at next weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with Hamilton searching for a record eighth title as Verstappen aims for his first.
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