At the 2024 United States GP, Lewis Hamilton indirectly criticized Max Verstappen for his defensive driving tactics that pushed Lando Norris off track twice, which were deemed acceptable by Formula 1 regulations.
The initial occurrence took place during Lap 1 at the Circuit of the Americas on October 20th when the current world champion forced the drive
The second controversy unfolded on Lap 52 as Verstappen made a reckless move on the inside after Norris had overtaken him under braking, causing both cars to go off track. Norris received a time penalty for passing off the track to secure third place.
The conflict between the main contenders revived the discussion about the stewards’ emphasis on prioritizing the apex, as Jenson Button argued that focusing solely on the apex can unfairly allow a car to maintain its position by carrying excessive speed through the corner.
Hamilton believes the rule is unacceptable since he has experienced it too many times from Verstappen, particularly during their 2021 F1 championship battle, such as at the Brazilian GP.
Hamilton remarked to Total-Motorsport.com about Verstappen’s defensive tactics in racing, saying it should not be allowed. I have encountered it numerous times.
“You can’t simply squeeze through on the inside, drive away, and still maintain your position.”
During the 2021 battle, the seven-time world champion encountered a tough rival who was unwilling to give up and gave very little space in races like the Emilia Romagna GP, Spanish GP, Italian GP, and Abu Dhabi GP.
However, the top two notable incidents that went without punishment occurred in Brazil when Verstappen was close to winning the championship, while a DNF for the British driver would have been disastrous.
Hamilton was disqualified from qualifying and began from the back, but worked his way to the front during the sprint weekend. While attempting to pass the Dutchman, the Red Bull driver pushed them both off the track at Turn 4.
The FIA did not acknowledge the incident for an investigation, even though Hamilton was clearly pushed off track. Subsequent footage showed that Verstappen was not at full steering lock until they had already left the track and Hamilton could no longer pass him.