In an attempt to avoid punishment, Max Verstappen blasted the “dirty maneuver.”

An F1 legend has questioned Max Verstappen’s performance after he took the chequered flag at the Circuit of the Americas to win his third straight Grand Prix.

Jacques Villeneuve, a former Formula 1 racer, took aim at Max Verstappen for his forceful defensive manoeuvre during the United States Grand Prix while racing alongside Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The 1997 F1 world champion Villeneuve feels the Dutchman should be penalized for what happened during the sprint race.

The United States Grand Prix saw some controversial decisions by the FIA – and Verstappen was at the heart of it yet again. During the Sprint race, the newly crowned three-time world champion made an aggressive move to defend his pole position from Leclerc.

Despite the 26-year-old’seventualvictory in the race, concerns remained regarding the risky move. Leclerc and Verstappen took the lead in the Sprint race, and the Ferrari quickly overtook the lead-holding Red Bull with its front wheels.

Verstappen appeared to be steering the Moengasque star all the way across the pit lane exit as the two got closer to the left-hand hairpin at Turn 1. Consequently, Verstappen became the only driver to win three Sprint races, and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton seized the chance to attack and pass Leclerc. The Brit could not be caught up.

While Leclerc felt the maneuver was hard but fair, Villeneuve took a different approach. He believes Verstappen’s move was far too aggressive to be ignored by the stewards, with the move ultimately costing Leclerc valuable points.

Leclerc was pushed off the track, it’s too much,” the 52-year-old told F1 TV. “It wasn’t necessary.

“Why the first lap should be judged differently is beyond me; dirty moves and pushing a car to the edge of the track are things that need to be looked into.

Hamilton was fined $52,500 (£43,350) at the Qatar Grand Prix earlier this month for leaving the racetrack following an accident. Karun Chandhok, a former Formula One driver and Sky F1 analyst, immediately brought up how Verstappen had gotten away with it when he made the same move during the contentious and dramatic 2021 season.

Although Verstappen has clearly matured and grown since his repeated crashes during the 2021 campaign, incidents such as the one in Austin still seem to follow him. Legends such as Villeneuve and fans alike are left feeling let down by the FIA’s persistent inability to step in sufficiently.