The 2022 Formula One Austrian GP will be remembered for many things including another bonfire of the Ferrari’s, the weekend when LeClerc finally made it back to winning ways together with the ongoing row over FIA consistency.
It was also a third podium in a row for Lewis Hamilton who benefitted from the retirement of Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez.
Following the dramatic thriller in Abu Dhabi where Mercedes and Hamilton felt Max Verstappen ‘stole’ the drivers championship, the two rivals haven’t really been on the same piece of an F1 track together. Mercedes W13 car has been woeful by their standards and Verstappen is usually half a lap ahead of Lewis during the races.
However Lewis’ car has improved since the Silverstone upgrades and despite being more ‘racey’ the Mercedes car is still as far from pole position as it was at the first round of the season.
In what by relative standards has been a disastrous season for Lewis Hamilton, he has in fact finished P3 four times in 11 races. Given the troubles with his car, Hamilton has been relatively upbeat following his podium finishes despite for the first time in his career not having a win by the halfway mark of the season.
Yet he is still feeling the pain of the lost ‘8th world title’ and this appeared to surface following the chequered flag in Austria.
The podium drivers all collect in a ‘cool down’ room before the presentation ceremony and despite what has happened on track are usually chatty and friendly as the screen in the room shows the action from the race.
Verstappen who finished 40 seconds ahead of Hamilton was sat watching the screen having weighed himself when Lewis entered the room. LeClerc was yet to arrive.
Hamilton weighed himself and placed his helmet on the stand, picked up his sponsor presentation cap then exited the room without exchanging a word with Max.
There has been tension between the rivals followers with Verstappen being boo’d at Silverstone and Hamilton jeered when he slammed his car into the wall during qualifying at the Austrian GP.
Verstappen has also supported his girlfriends father over the alleged racist remarks he made about Hamilton during a podcast reviewing the Silverstone incident which saw Lewis clip Verstappen while leading the 2021 race and sent him hurtling into the barrier.
READ: Was Nelson Piquet’s language really racist?
The stewards decided Hamilton was at fault and issued him a 5 second time penalty, though it mattered little as Lewis went on to win the race by more than 5 seconds but cost his rival between 18-25 points.
In a disguised dig at Verstappen, Lewis praised LeClerc’s driving skills at Silverstone this year following their close battle at the same corner where Max and Lewis came together last year.
It maybe we are watching the demise of F1’s most dominant driver and that he realises Verstappen will replace him as the undisputed new F1 driver who is top of the pile.
For those who’ve watched F1 for decades, this is nothing new. It happened with the ageing Prost and the emerging Senna and with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso when the Spaniard won two successive titles after the Schumacher domination years at Ferrari.
Hamilton again showing his true colors here. He started dissing Max with the remarks about the racing lines in Silversonte last year, Max hit back in a fairly polite way. Now Lewis starts ignoring him… Lewis Hamilton… sad character, trying to hold tight to his self created image of goat while seeing others in the same car doing better. His world view starts to crumble. He can no longer bask in the feeling that he is a demi-god, morally superior… If I couldn’t laugh about him i would cry.
Btw… Max did not defend Piquet. He only said he was not the person to correct him or become a part in that feud. Also he denounced all recism.
You are absolutely right Duckey, i also want to add that most of the time Media, Social Media reporting get it wrong or is very biased against Max.
You White Devils won’t get off the Black.mans back. You are like Monkey on his beautiful Black Back. NO MATTER what you Skkkumbags do the Black man will surpass you in due course. From flying F-35 fighter jets to playing tweedlewinks. F Satanic Caucazoid Neanderthals.
Was that English?
Unbelievable!! Aggressive barge them off Max bully boy lover. Le Clerc is a respectful racer and has learned to keep out of Max’s way at times, hence why Max says he likes racing him. Max doesn’t like it when people race against him the way he races against others. He can hand it out, but can’t take it – typical bully!
Hahahaha this is the biggest bullshit I’ve heard so far. “max doesn’t like it when people race him” lmao biased shit. I wonder who you cheer for smh
Max has always been reckless arrivant. And rather than sheepishly hang the head in shame, he and crew gloat like the stolen championship was earned. He is a good driver but reckless nit just fierce. And btw, the two mercd were never the same, with a slew of “trials” always being performed on Hamilton’s.
Twisting words I see. Max never defended Nelson in any way. He distanced himself from the situation, the guy even said that the word that was used was “not right”. god I’m getting sick of media trying to stir up the drama. They don’t get along as Leclerc and max do, well can you blame them? Just let them be for god’s sake. Lewis has always been the guy who doesn’t chat as much with his colleague racers. At least not at all as much as max or Charles would.
Verstappen is a cheat and a racist. But hey tell.us something we don’t know
The fact you’re just randomly throwing These BS accusations around without any arguments or without stating why says enough about your personality and your wisdom. Never has anyone heard Verstappen comment anything racist and never did he defend Nelson either, just look up the article, its straight up bullshit. Or are you purely saying this because he defeated your Wonderboy Lulu. I mean i would get upset too if my hero were in 6th position but there’s no need to take it out on people who are talking facts.
Why do people react to what the media f1 and the fia report, not to mention those dydastly pundits. What ever goes on between max and lewis is their business. There is no if or butts. Piquet is racist there is no excuse for it. It is obvious thats how black people in Brazil are seen by certain factions. Send piquet up to the Pavillas in brazil to repeat what he said about hamilton! I wont even mention bernie, as we all know who he’ll take a bullet for and to defend piquet is also to be that way inclined. So lets talk about the real issues in F1 cos its turnimg out not to be about racing, rather something more sinister.
Its no wonder why vettal wants out! Pure BS In F1.
What we actually hear Max and lewis say in public is not an excuse for max fans and hamlitons to slag each other off about and there’s no point in slagging off the drivers either. We know that there is a bit og arg bargy between drivers on track but that just racing, but when the authorities get involved and stir things up its not fair on the drivers. It may shock some of you on here but whole system of F1 is very flawed, to a point were even the drivers could be involved with BS thats flying around. The way things are, its all about bums on seats and apart from racing well, what would drivers do to keep them there? The real cause of this drama is F1 the FIA and those poxy TV pundits, not mention the media, Having us here click baiting each other whiel others make money out of our nonsense. Lets talk true racing and not get caught up in BS that the racing system is feeding us with!!
This is the best example of a biased article and fake news. Sad stuff..