Damon Hill applauds Max Verstappen’s masterclass at Imola after earlier criticism. Damon Hill, once a harsh critic of Max Verstappen’s aggressive driving, praises the Dutchman’s skill and precision.

One of the voices that has often expressed disappointment with the Dutchman’s moves is Damon Hill. The former F1 driver judged Max Verstappen as aggressive and disrespectful, and the Dutchman’s response was not long in coming. At the Imola GP, Max won the race thanks to an incredible move in turn 1. The overtake on Oscar Piastri allowed him to take the lead of the group and earn Damon Hill’s appreciation.

The 2024 Mexican GP caused a lot of debate. On that occasion, Norris and Verstappen fought a borderline battle. The Dutchman crossed that line, and for this reason, he had to serve the penalty assigned by race control. Damon Hill did not fully tolerate Max’s behavior in Mexico, judging it unforgivable.

He then added that Max Verstappen, contrary to what was thought, had never changed despite the years of experience gained. “The FIA is trying to put a brake on this,” continued Damon Hill.

Max Verstappen then replied without much concern, stating he does not pay much attention to these judgments. “I’m a three-time world champion, I know what I’m doing.” The discussion ended with Hill’s response, who wanted to highlight how many criticisms are directed at the Dutchman.

Max Verstappen and the magic at Imola
Max started from second place in the Emilia-Romagna GP. Already at the Tamburello chicane, he managed to take the lead of the race with an incredible overtake on Oscar Piastri. It was a borderline maneuver that even changed Damon Hill’s mind.

“Preparation, maturity, efficiency, speed: Max is truly a phenomenon, and there are very few like him among Formula 1 drivers. He is a worthy addition to drivers like Fangio, Clark, Senna, and Schumacher.”

Referring again to the incident in Mexico, the former British driver explained: “We don’t want to see drivers push rivals off the track just to stay ahead. That’s not motorsport; at best, it’s bumper car level.” Then moving on to what was seen at the Santerno circuit, Hill emphasized: “What we want to see is skill and courage. We want to see moves executed with surgical precision. Max Verstappen’s attack at Imola was a model of efficiency and cleanliness.”