"Maybe it's just a generation thing," says Max Verstappen as he admits that he is at a loss to explain his numerous clashes with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Despite the understandable bad feeling following the manner in which the 2021 title was decided, the shortcomings of the Mercedes W13 meant that Lewis Hamilton was unable to take the fight to Max Verstappen in the way he wished for much of 2022.

Nonetheless, as the Mercedes improved, we witnessed glimpses of the ill-tempered rivalry, never more so than in Brazil by which time the Silver Arrows were able to give the Bulls a run for their money.

At the restart that followed the Safety Car period after Daniel Ricciardo's clash with Kevin Magnussen, Verstappen made a move on Hamilton, attempting to go around the outside of the Mercedes in Turn 1. The Briton gave no quarter, and as they headed into Turn 2 they touched sending shards of carbonfibre flying.

Hamilton momentarily went off track, actually using the pitlane exit while Verstappen lost a number of positions and subsequently had to pit.

The clash was at odds with how Verstappen had fought his other challengers for much of the season, suggesting that the Dutchman reserves antagonism for his British nemesis.

"I have to be careful what I'm saying here," he tells Motorsport.com. "With everyone I've been fighting this year, it's been really hard, aggressive battles. But we never really came together. Somehow with Lewis it's a different story, and I honestly don't understand.

"This year, ok, we haven't really had a lot of battles but in Brazil we got together," he continues. "It wasn't my intention but I got the blame for it, which I didn't find fair.

"If it would've been more of a racing incident, that I could live with," he admits. At the time it looked like neither driver was willing to compromise through the corner, leading to a collision.

"I don't feel like I'm doing anything different to Lewis or to the other drivers in terms of how we're racing," he insists. "Maybe it's just a generation thing.

"Of course everyone is different in their approach. I know that Charles is a bit different to George, or to Carlos or to Checo or whoever. The day before with George, we were having an incredible battle, closing the door, defending, out-braking each other," he says of the Sprint. "That was a lot of fun. I was trying to do the same in the main race, having that kind of battle. But unfortunately we couldn't get it to work."

Asked about the "I have to be careful what I'm saying" caveat, he admits: "In England this can very quickly be received as criticism, and then I'm being called out on it. Immediately it's taken as criticism, and then people start to hate on you. That's not my intention.

"I always respect Lewis a lot for what he has achieved in the sport. That's why I don't really understand why we cannot really race like I've been doing with the others."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 07/01/2023 11:26

"2011 Monaco......history repeating itsef?l"

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2. Posted by ClarkwasGod, 06/01/2023 15:56

"Senna's attitude was move over or we have an accident. Those who didn't (Mansell comes to mind) were treated with respect. That seems entirely lacking with Verstappen.

ALL the other drivers should, within the rules, hold their lines and force him to make clean overtakes rather than bullying or barging past. Motorsport is, after all, supposed to be non-contact (especially open-wheel).

But I doubt he will learn - only penalties, and broken parts bill is likely to have any effect - or licence points"

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3. Posted by Spindoctor, 06/01/2023 14:40

"Is there a point to this comment, or should I perhaps ask is he opening hostilities before the "war" has even been declared? Classic RBR wind-up tactics as seen every week from Horner: invent some "issue" with which to stir up controversy & hope the recipient takes your bait (to mix a few metaphors).

Jo Junior knows very well why he keeps crashing with Lewis as do we all. Opinions vary of course but it's essentially, I think it's that he's determined to assert some imagined "superiority" and doesn't quite get that there are other drivers of equal or greater ability out there racing him.

It'll be fascinating to see what happens if Mercedes manage to maintain competitiveness & he's regularly battling wheel to wheel with both Hamilton & Russell, or if Ferrari manage to mount a consistent challenge & he can't simply swan past all opposition with a jaunty wave....
"

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4. Posted by Paulinho, 05/01/2023 16:56

"Wasn't it all scripted ;)"

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5. Posted by Mad Matt, 05/01/2023 13:03

"As I've said before I'm not really a fan of either of them but.... they both bring out the worst in each other which is when we see these crashes.... and they bring out the best in each other which is when we see them leaving the rest of the pack behind."

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6. Posted by Wokingchap, 05/01/2023 10:08

"He's started already."

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7. Posted by didaho, 05/01/2023 1:46

"Why doesn't he understand what the others (except Ric on a rough day) understand?
I'm going to adopt the position where if you don't do what I want, we crash, so concede already OK?"

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8. Posted by kenji, 04/01/2023 23:51

"Surely Silverstone was a tipping point for Verstappen?"

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9. Posted by Burton, 04/01/2023 21:27

"Countless times there weren't clashes because others (mostly Lewis) took evasive action...but I wasn't expecting Max to look that closely."

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10. Posted by Defiant, 04/01/2023 20:18

"Good ole whacko jacko did a song about it Max. Take a listen. It was on the Bad album, track 7."

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11. Posted by jcr, 04/01/2023 18:36

"For years because of the Merc domination Hammi had no one to really challenge him, apart from Nico !
I believe that in these years, He lost the knack of wheel to wheel racing, and then along comes Max !!!
It cant always be a coincidence that every time they are side by side one of them is off the road, and Hammi is on the radio.
"

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Verstappen baffled by Hamilton clashes

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