F1: Jealous Hamilton 'can't bear to utter my name'

(GMM) Max Verstappen says any lingering tension with 2021 rival Lewis Hamilton may now be one-sided.

The pair were locked in an ultra-intense battle for last year’s title, with the ill-feeling between Red Bull and Mercedes still lingering after the controversial Abu Dhabi finale and subsequent budget cap saga.

But 2021 and 2022 world champion Verstappen says he has heard that Hamilton, 37, may still hold a grudge.

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing. Hamilton is so jealous of him he cannot ever address him by name, he always says the Red Bull cars are so fast, or they are so fast. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

When asked at press conferences about the deeds of the Dutchman who dethroned him as world champion, Hamilton will deflect his praise on to Red Bull’s superior machinery and talk of ‘they’ and ‘them’ and not ‘Max’ and ‘he’.

“People have told me that he doesn’t use my name,” the 25-year-old told the Mail on Sunday newspaper.

“I was always taught that you have to respect what people have achieved in sport. I have no problem with what Lewis has achieved. He is one of the best ever.

Hamilton looks distraught in the Mexico City GP post-qualifying press conference as he watches Verstappen begin to destroy his legacy. Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing (C), Second placed qualifier George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes (L) and Third placed qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes (R) at the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 29, 2022 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

Another driver with a fractious history with Hamilton is his former 2007 McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso, whose latest interview for the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf is making waves.

“I have a lot of respect for Lewis, but still it is different when you win seven world titles when you only had to fight with your teammate,” the Spaniard said.

“I never had to fight with my teammate to win my titles,” said the 2005 and 2006 drivers’ championship winner. “Nor did I see Max fighting with Perez or Albon to win races, he had to beat other drivers in other teams.”

Alonso thinks Verstappen’s world titles are worth more than Hamilton’s 👀 pic.twitter.com/imRzgF5Rzk

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) October 29, 2022

When Alonso’s comments created an online backlash, he insisted that the publication was guilty of a “continuous search for headlines”.

“Please, all the titles are amazing, well deserved and inspiring. Incomparable to each other and let’s enjoy champions and legends of our current time,” he said on Twitter.

Lewis Hamilton waves to the crowd after qualifying Saturday. Alonso says Hamilton only ever had to beat his teammate because the Mercedes was superior, insinuating the Brit is overrated – LAT Images

Verstappen said he wouldn’t make the same kind of claims about whether Hamilton fully deserves his record-equalling seven titles.

“I know it is not only the car he has been driving,” he said. “That helps – we all know that. But you still have to beat your teammate, and Lewis has done that consistently.

“I think you have to acknowledge the person has done an amazing job as well.”

However, he indicated that his and Hamilton’s personalities are very different when it comes to one aspect of their success in Formula 1 – fame.

“I never wanted to be known. I wish I could walk around and nobody would know me,” said the Red Bull driver.

“I am not here to be liked and it’s not going to ruin my day. I am having a great time with my team. People can say what they like, but I am here to perform.”

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Verstappen said: ‘Fame was not anything I looked into when I was a kid. I never wanted to be known. I wish I could walk around and nobody would know me.

‘Actually before Suzuka, I went to Tokyo and was not recognized too much. It was amazing. I can hardly think of the last time I could do that in a major city.

‘People are always nice and I understand they want something from me. But from my perspective it would be nice to be left alone.

The booing was widespread in the States last weekend. Hamilton is more popular there and the sins of Red Bull’s cost cap breach were held against the champion.

He was targeted with chants of ‘cheater, cheater’ as he attended a fan event before qualifying at the Circuit of the Americas.

‘It’s not like football and all the abuse in the stadiums,’ he said. ‘It’s probably just frustration that has built up among fans of their particular driver who is not doing so well, or they don’t like me.

‘I am not here to be liked, and it’s not going to ruin my day. I am having a great time with my team. People can say what they like, but I am here to perform.’