Damon Hill: Max Verstappen would “cry like a baby”

Damon Hill claims Max Verstappen would “cry like a baby” if he was on the receiving end of aggressive driving.

The Red Bull driver’s tactics came under the microscope at the end of last year as he fiercely fought off Lando Norris’ threat to his drivers’ title.

Verstappen and Norris’ friendship hit a stumbling block after two major on-track clashes.

Ex-F1 champ Hill was particularly critical of Verstappen after he received two time penalties at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

“It is possible to race fairly and that is something I’m not sure that Max is capable of,” Hill said at the time.

Hill has since exited his role as a pundit on Sky Sports’ Formula 1 coverage for the 2025 season.

But he has defended his initial criticism of Verstappen’s aggressive tactics.

Damon Hill: Red Bull "don't like criticism" of Max Verstappen

“Red Bull fight their corner very forcefully,” Hill told The Telegraph.

“And they don’t like criticism of Max. And they didn’t like, particularly, some of the things that were said.

“On the whole they’ve always taken the view that Sky are British-centric and biased, which is really unfair I think.

“Actually I think there is a desire [the other way]. I don’t think Sky want to be accused of being biased at all. I think they want to be a fair broadcaster of the sport – credit where credit’s due and all that.

“They also do not want to be denied access to a very important figure in this sport. And I think Red Bull know that, and they apply pressure if they need to.”

Damon Hill claims "Red Bull have a responsibility"

Hill made it clear: “But I’m not anti-Max. This is the point. I think Max is brilliant. I like him. I mean what’s not to like? He’s sensational.

“But when I felt he overstepped the mark, I said so. And I think Red Bull have a responsibility, their team management has a responsibility, to the sport you know?

“If their driver goes over the limit on occasion, they have a responsibility to say ‘You can’t do that.’

“And they don’t. That’s always been my issue with them. That they have almost given Max carte blanche and protected their driver from not sticking to the code, if you like.”

Hill continued: “I’ll give you an example. [Last year] Max correctly interpreted to his advantage the rule about overtaking and being ahead at the apex on the inside.

“There’s nothing in the rules that says you can’t do that. And it’s exciting to see people dive down the inside.

“Except that no other driver does it. And if someone was to do it to him, he’d cry like a baby.

“And that’s one of my issues with them. Red Bull simply can’t accept that. No, it really is slightly disappointing, to say the least, that they like to be thought of as the hard kids on the block, but when something doesn’t go their way, they cry about it.

“As I say, I like Max. What I don’t like is jingoism. And I don’t like the fact that it became a ‘You’re against us because we’re not British’ and all that nonsense, which was used as a way of pressuring us.

“It’s utterly unfair to suggest that there is any kind of anti-Dutch thing going on. What can you do? I thought I was there to express my opinion.”

Verstappen and his father Jos made blunt accusations that unnamed members of the British media were biased against them last year.

When Verstappen ended his win-less run at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix with a sensational wet-weather performance that displayed all of the best hallmarks of his ability, he teased that those British media members had run home to the airport.

His rivalry with McLaren’s Norris will be renewed this season.

They laughed off claims that their friendship had been damaged during pre-season Bahrain testing, joking that they had “a fight in a local pub”.

But if Verstappen’s Red Bull is not the dominant force that it previously was, he could come together with the McLaren again.

McLaren ended last year as F1’s fastest car and will hope to retain that status at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 16.