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Ocon: Verstappen wanted to punch me

Ocon: Verstappen "wanted to punch me"

11-11-2018 19:40
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Nicolás Quarles van Ufford

Force India's Esteban Ocon has said that Max Verstappen wanted to punch him after the race, with the Dutchman shoving Ocon several times when confronting him in the paddock for their on-track collision earlier.

Ocon and Verstappen have a history between them, with both drivers being rivals since their karting days. They then went toe-to-toe in the F3 championship, and they've had multiple instances in F1 as well where they've collided.

During the Brazilian Grand Prix, Ocon ran into Verstappen when the Dutchman was trying to lap him, spinning both cars around in the process. It cost Verstappen his lead, and emotions ran high after the race.

WATCH: Verstappen confronts and shoves Ocon after Brazil GP!

"What I am really surprised about is the behaviour of Max coming into the scales," Ocon told TV reporters after the race.

"The FIA having to stop him from being violent, pushing me and wanted me to punch me – and that is not professional."

Later, Ocon was asked by Sky Sports F1 if he was planning to speak to Verstappen later.

"I am used to the fights with Max. It has been the same. It goes back a few years, so no.

"I was two laps behind Max," he said.

"The first lap I was a lot faster and the second lap I was a lot faster.

"I had fresh tyres basically and the rules say you are allowed to unlap yourself if you are faster, and that is what I did on the second lap because I had massive pace.

"I went around the outside of him, the same move I did on Fernando [Alonso], the same move I did on many other drivers, coming from last on the first lap. But it didn't happen the same way in the corner after that." 

Mercedes have won their fifth consecutive constructors' championship and Lewis Hamilton has won the Brazilian Grand Prix, but the story of the day was this altercation between two of the brightest young talents in F1.