MAX VERSTAPPEN is ‘getting under Lewis Hamilton’s skin’ according to Red Bull boss Christian Horner.
Hamilton has delivered a number of cryptic barbs in Red Bull’s direction, labelling them the quickest on the grid while also accusing them of having ‘bendy wing’, which could prompt a protest from his Mercedes team at this weekend’s Monaco GP.
Hamilton has come out on top, winning three of this season’s four races but Horner believes the champion’s comments are just mind games that show he is feeling the heat from the Dutchman.
He said: “The fact that Lewis feels he needs to do that means that actually, Max is probably getting under his skin a little.
“Lewis loves all that rubbish, so just let him get on with it. I think Max does his own thing and is his own man.
“We’re not even anywhere near halfway yet, so can you imagine what it’d be like, if they’re that close going into the last few races?
“They bring out the best in each other. Lewis is operating at a phenomenal level. Max is right there, and they’ve been the two standout drivers of the championship so far.
“If the two guys are starting at the front of the race in the championship and it keeps very tight between them, it’s inevitable that at some point there’s going to be a touch.
“I think Max has overtaken Lewis three times now and Lewis has overtaken Max once.
“It depends on the circuit, it depends on the circumstance; I don’t think that’s the intention of either driver, so we will see.”
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Meanwhile, Horner says that his team is capable of coping with the pressure of a title fight for the first time since 2013.
He added: “There’s no difference to your approach, to be honest. The pressure’s no less because obviously the races we’ve won in the previous years have been about grabbing opportunities and being sharp.
“So I think as a race team we are always very sharp and I think we’ve managed to maximise opportunities historically, and I think that’s obviously what we need to do throughout this year.”
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