Lewis Hamilton made a subtle yet pointed comment about Max Verstappen after the chaotic Mexico City Grand Prix. Following a close battle, Hamilton secured fourth place, narrowly edging out his Mercedes teammate George Russell without any collisions, which prompted his sly dig at Verstappen, who had been involved in a messy tussle with Lando Norris.
Both Hamilton and Russell started the race in fifth and sixth positions, respectively. They quickly began trading places, with Russell initially gaining the upper hand. After the race, Hamilton shared his thoughts on their battle, saying:
“It was fun; I enjoyed today. I had a good start, but my first stint was tough—I removed too much front wing and experienced significant understeer.
“After my pit stop, I was able to make adjustments, improving my pace significantly, and we also stopped a bit earlier than planned. We secured good points.
“It was pretty straightforward; neither of us is reckless. George is smart, fair, and skilled at positioning his car. When the team advised us to keep it clean, it was a reminder that we needed to be extra cautious, especially since we both wanted to finish.”
As the race unfolded, Russell faced his own challenges. He suffered damage to his front wing after hitting a bump while trailing Oscar Piastri, which slowed him down. Nonetheless, he managed to finish fifth. Russell reflected on the race, stating:
“The pace was solid in the first stint, but after my pit stop, I found myself behind Piastri. When I tried to overtake, my front left flap collapsed after hitting a bump.
“That cost me a few tenths for the rest of the race, making it tough to hold on for 40 laps. I’ll take P5, especially after Friday’s performance.”
A key moment in the race was Verstappen receiving penalties for two separate incidents with McLaren’s Lando Norris, resulting in two 10-second penalties. Hamilton’s veiled remark, widely interpreted as a jab at Verstappen, highlights their ongoing rivalry, which intensified in 2021. Hamilton has often criticized Verstappen’s aggressive driving style, viewing it as a frequent exploitation of the sport’s regulatory gray areas.