Over recent years, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have had frequent disagreements and have seldom shared the same perspective.
Lewis Hamilton has claimed that Max Verstappen was “too frustrated” to accept his apology after a near-miss in Emilia Romagna Grand Prix practice on Friday at Imola.
Hamilton and Verstappen, who became embroiled in a bitter rivalry during the infamous F1 2021 season, were reunited on track during second practice at Imola.
Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen reunited in Imola F1 practice
Verstappen expressed his frustration with the slow-moving Hamilton at the Villeneuve chicane by swiftly swerving across the track in an aggressive manner.
Hamilton was seen raising his hand in apology in the onboard footage, while Verstappen appeared visibly frustrated following the session. Despite being classified a distant seventh and making several uncharacteristic errors throughout the opening day at Imola, Verstappen’s disappointment was evident.
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Verstappen stated, “This isn’t the first time.”
Naturally, you make an effort to remain composed, but it has occurred once more.
However, I prefer not to delve into it extensively as it is not the primary concern at hand. Our main issue today was being significantly off pace, which is what we need to address and rectify.
Hamilton was asked to give his evaluation of the incident and he acknowledged that he was responsible. However, he later stated that Verstappen was “too frustrated” to acknowledge his apology.
He exclaimed, “Wow, I was just on a cool-down lap!”
At first, I believed I had created enough distance between us, but unexpectedly, he swiftly closed in on me, and in the end, I realized it was my own error.
“I attempted to offer an apology, but his frustration hindered any chance of reconciliation.”
In a bid to jumpstart their F1 2024 season, Mercedes has introduced a range of upgrades at Imola. Despite the team’s ongoing quest for their first podium finish of the new campaign, they remain optimistic about their chances.
Hamilton finished fourth in the afternoon session, trailing Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari by 0.391 seconds. Nevertheless, Hamilton believes that the team has taken a positive step forward based on the initial observations.
He expressed, “The weekend has started off well.”
“It appears that we have made significant progress and are now much closer, but only time will tell how tomorrow unfolds.”
“I am truly thankful to all those at the factory who have worked tirelessly to implement these upgrades, as we are witnessing positive enhancements in both the car and our performance on the track.”
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