DRS games were afoot at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix between Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris.

And Hamilton got “a bit naughty” at one stage, according to Martin Brundle, in a move which “very nearly” saw him get “rear-ended” by Norris in the McLaren.

Lewis Hamilton v Lando Norris: Hamilton guilty of ‘naughty’ move?

After crashing out early in the Q3 stage of qualifying, Norris – the Drivers’ Championship leader at that stage – launched from P10 on the grid with a recovery mission ahead.

And in that early rise up the order through his opening stint, P6 was next on the agenda, a position held by Hamilton in the Ferrari.

Norris made the pass into the final corner, Turn 27, only for Hamilton to get the right to DRS for the long start-finish straight, due to being behind Norris at the detection line positioned coming out of the corner.

With the aid of DRS, Hamilton re-passed Norris for P6 down the straight.

“He moved too early, and Lewis knows that, of course,” Brundle reacted on Sky F1 commentary duties.

“Remember 2021, with him and Max [Verstappen], literally coming to blows out there, trying not to cross that line first.”

“The brake test of 2021” as lead commentator David Croft called it, the incident being discussed was the collision between then title rivals Hamilton and Verstappen at the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP, when their battle for DRS rights led to a collision between the pair, Verstappen having been told to concede position to Hamilton after both went off at the opening chicane.

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So, with Norris foiled that first time, attempt two came on the following lap, with some quick reactions on the brakes required from Norris behind Hamilton into Turn 27.

Again, Norris reached the detection point ahead and Hamilton used DRS to re-pass.

This time, Brundle felt Hamilton was pushing his luck a little.

“Lewis is trying for the DRS zone again. And he’s got it.

“Lewis very nearly got rear-ended there.

“Little bit naughty of Lewis there, I have to say.

“We saw such a fight, so brutal, between him and Max, down there at that line. But, it gives you that DRS. Lando was trying to wait, but then Lewis wouldn’t let him wait, and he has to duck out behind him.”

The next time around, Norris kept behind Hamilton at the detection point and used DRS to overtake down the straight, a position he held on to as he raced to a P4 finish, while Hamilton crossed the line P7.

Victory for Norris’ McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri saw him take over as the new Drivers’ Championship leader from Norris.

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