Three F1 titles, but Max Verstappen still can't stand losing

In an attempt to fend of Hamilton earlier in the lap, Verstappen had skipped the Turn 1 chicane after misjudging the braking zone. Having gained a lasting advantage he was ordered allow Hamilton past. Instead of pulling over to the side, he remained on the racing line — apparently hoping to retain the best entry into the corner while also gaining a DRS advantage down the pit straight by ensuring he was behind Hamilton at the detection zone (located just before the final corner).

Fully aware of the strategy, Hamilton stayed behind the slowing Verstappen as they approached the detection zone. So Verstappen tapped the brakes, forcing Hamilton into evasive action. But the cars still made contact, while Verstappen remained in the lead.

The following lap, Verstappen was again given the same order — “Let the Mercedes past” — but shortly after doing so he dived down the inside of Turn 27 to reclaim the lead. With the stewards now convinced that the issue could not be resolved on-track, Verstappen was issued with a five-second time penalty. He lost the lead — and ultimately the race — to Hamilton a lap later.

Had he simply allowed the Briton to pass at the first time of asking, could he have re-passed him? The Red Bull arguably had the pace — having only missed out on pole due to a last corner crash in qualifying.

2018 Italian Grand Prix

vs Valtteri Bottas

Even before world titles were on the line, Verstappen’s harsh defensive strategies were renowned.

At the 2018 Italian Grand Prix, he went to great lengths to prevent Valtteri Bottas from taking away a podium finish as he squeezed the Mercedes driver onto the grass at Turn 1. Bottas tapped Verstappen’s rear wheel and half-spun into the run-off area but was able to keep his car running and rejoined the circuit after the first chicane.

Verstappen was issued with a five-second time penalty for causing the accident but continued to run ahead of Bottas for the remainder of the race — a showcase of both the pace Red Bull had, and the futility of causing an incident. After reaching the chequered flag he was demoted from third to fifth and accused the stewards of “killing racing” over team radio.

“I was going to the outside, as he was defending on the inside and there’s a very clear rule that says you have to leave a car’s width on the outside,” Bottas later commented. “But he didn’t so we touched.”

Sound familiar?

2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

vs Daniel Ricciardo

Not even Verstappen’s team-mates are safe when the Dutchman’s defensive tunnel-vision kicks in — a fact Daniel Ricciardo was made well aware of at the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Across multiple laps, the Red Bull drivers swapped positions and bumped wheels in a war over fourth — not even a podium place was on the table this time! — but heading into Turn 1 on lap 41 it all ended in spectacular fashion.

Approaching the braking zone at well over 210mph, Verstappen defended Ricciardo’s advances twice under braking — first to the right and then to the left — which ultimately left the Aussie with nowhere left to turn as he piled into the back of his team-mate’s RB14.

Both cars were sent skidding into the run-off and were soon retired — losing the Milton Keynes outfit a combined 22 points in the process. Although blame was later attributed to both drivers equally, the stewards concluded that accident’s “origins” had stemmed from Verstappen’s late defensive manoeuvres.

In post-race interviews, the Dutchman said all the right things and was apologetic in the part he had played in the accident. But his comments on “racing for the team” didn’t exactly match up with his on-track actions.

“It is just really disappointing for the team,” said Verstappen. “We lost a lot of points today, unnecessarily. I don’t think we need to speak about who’s at fault, because at the end of the day we are racing for a team, we are representing other people – this happens and it’s just not good for both of us.

“Before that I think it was hard racing but fair – I think we gave each other space. We had this little brush with the wheels, but that is racing – it can happen. But what happened afterwards is not good.”

Had Verstappen simply conceded the place, Red Bull would likely have secured all 22 points. But would the sight of his team-mate in equal machinery taking the chequered flag ahead of him be simply too painful to watch?

2016 Belgian Grand Prix

vs Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel

Having made a winning debut at Red Bull in 2016, Verstappen continued to take the fight to some of F1’s biggest names that season.

At the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix, the Dutchman defended vigorously against Kimi Räikkönen on two separate occasions over a battle for fourteenth: first pushing him wide at Les Combes, then on the following lap, inviting the Finn to overtake him down the inside of the Kemmel Straight before quickly slamming the door in his face as he tried to do so.

“If I had not braked, we would have had a massive accident,” said a furious Räikkönen. “It will happen sooner or later if this doesn’t change. I am fine with good, hard racing but that is not correct. Maybe it needs an accident before it makes it more clear to everybody but hopefully not because it can be bad for someone. Nobody wants to see anybody get hurt.”

Verstappen and Räikkönen were only fighting for such a lowly place because of earlier contact at the start, where Verstappen got away poorly from the grid, and then triggered a three-car collision which involved Räikkönen and his Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel — who was spun from second right to the back of the field. The four-time world champion added to the criticism of the Red Bull youngster: “I get along with him, I like him, he’s aggressive, I think that’s a strength of him, but certain moves, especially under braking, I don’t think are correct, and I think it’s something that needs to click and he needs to understand.”

Verstappen finished the race a disappointing eleventh but refused to take the blame. “If [was I was doing] was not correct, I should have got a penalty,” he said. “So I think everything was fair enough today.”

2016 Japanese Grand Prix

vs Lewis Hamilton

In defence of his sixth podium appearance of the season, Verstappen once again pulled out all the stops to ensure he wouldn’t be beaten at the 2016 Japanese GP — even with the faster Mercedes of Hamilton behind him.

The Briton was desperate to pass the Red Bull youngster for second — with just five races remaining in a hard fought battle for a fourth drivers’ title against his team-mate Nico Rosberg, who led. But as he tried to do so in the run up to the final chicane, Verstappen erratically moved over to defend, forcing Hamilton to lock up and take to the exit road. Mercedes later lodged a complaint but later withdrew it and the finishing order stood: Roberg the race winner, followed by Verstappen and then Hamilton.

It would have been simple for the Dutchman to see the faster, charging Mercedes of a multi-world champion in his wing mirrors and let him past, not risking his own race result in the process. But as has become increasingly clear over his continued stint in F1, the desire to not be overtaken — no matter his position on track — far outweighs whatever the ‘smart strategy’ might be.

Some would call that stupid. Others would call it old-school. Either way, for better or worse, it seems Max Verstappen will forever be the same racer: incapable of losing…no matter the cost.