Max Verstappen has acknowledged that his Formula One rivalry with Lewis Hamilton has been 'tense' but insists there is still mutual respect between them as the championship battle intensifies. The pair have been involved in several heated incidents this season, including collisions at the British Grand Prix and Italian Grand Prix, as well as a practice incident in Texas where Verstappen called Hamilton a 'stupid idiot'.
Speaking to Gentleman's Journal, Verstappen said: 'It's good. I mean, we're how competitors should be. We're not exactly going to have dinner together but that's fine. You have that competitive spirit and we always try to beat each other on track. But also try to respect each other off track as well. So far there have been some tense moments, but overall it's been alright.'
Verstappen currently leads Hamilton by 12 points in the drivers' standings after winning the United States Grand Prix. With five races remaining, the Dutchman is focused on maximising points rather than dreaming of championship glory. 'I'm not much of a dreamer, so I don't really think about Abu Dhabi too much yet. I just go step by step, and race by race to try and get the most possible points, every time,' he added.
The 24-year-old, who made his F1 debut at 17, also reflected on his early career, admitting he would do things differently now but that mistakes were part of his development. 'What do you expect when you're 17? You have to make mistakes, you have to learn,' he said.
