Max Verstappen has shown how ruthlesss he can be on track against rivals throughout the 2024 Formula 1 season.
His main title rival this season was Lando Norris after Red Bull struggled midway through the season with car troubles, and McLaren was able to produce a car capable of winning race and consistently taking podiums.
The pair had their fair share of moments on track, notably at the US and Mexican Grands Prix when Verstappen forced Norris off track in close battles.
Damon Hill criticised Verstappen’s driving style in the aftermath of the race, in which he recieved two 10-second time penalties. George Russell also got into a spat with the Dutchman after an on-track moment in Qatar, in which he called the four-time world champion a “bully” for how he treats rivals on track.
Although Verstappen has attrached unwanted attention from the stewards and fans of rival drivers, he has still shown moments of greatness. F1 legend Jackie Ickx has revealed why he thinks drivers might start to hate him when speaking to RacingNews365.nl.
What Jackie Ickx told Max Verstappen after his Brazil victory
Ickx, who competed in F1 between 1966 and 1979 famously never won a title and could only manage eight wins, but is seen as one of the legends given the drivers he went up against and beat at the time including Jackie Stewart, Jochen Rindt, and Graham Hill.
He believes drivers will start to hate Verstappen because of his total domination, which was on display when the Dutchman won the Brazilian GP.
“Max is one of those people who has already achieved so much. We occasionally exchange messages, although they are short messages. For example, there was the race he drove in Brazil. The drama when you win too often and dominate a class… It’s going to be disturbing,” says Ickx.
“You punish [drivers]. People are starting to hate you, because you know the result of the race before the start, because you dominate. But that was not the case the last six or seven races. If there were major problems, I said to him, ‘You will not forget Brazil.’”
Max Verstappen explains how he handles pressure in F1 better than Lando Norris
Norris committed a series of errors that ultimatly cost him a chance to win the Drivers’ Championship in 2024, although McLaren still won their first Constructors’ title since 1998.
Although Verstappen has been comfortably in the fastest car since the current regualtion set began in 2022, Red Bull finished off the 2024 season as the third best to rivals.
READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
Verstappen has explained how he deals with pressure better than Norris, which was key to him securing his fourth title in a row.
The Dutchman fired an ominous warning to his rivals in a recent interview, in which Verstappen claimed he can ‘always’ improve ahead of what is likely to be a close title fightin 2025.
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