Hill: 'Verstappen caused a bit of a crisis for Hamilton'

As Formula 1 fans we are spoiled for choice this season. After a direct duel between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain, the battle was resumed from the start in Imola. Verstappen took off like a rocket and what he did next was the decisive moment of the race.

"It set up a little bit of a crisis for Lewis Hamilton, didn’t it", said Damon Hill in the F1 Nation podcast talking about that great start by Verstappen. "Because I think he probably expected to be threatened more by Perez on his right, but it was actually Max who was extremely brave off the line. It looked like he put a wheel right on the edge of the track, but he kept his foot in it."

Verstappen had taken the lead before turn one

Hill was quite impressed with the way the Red Bull Racing driver put his car next to Hamilton's before the first corner. In the first corner the two almost collided. That was not necessary according to Hill. Hamilton should have realized earlier that he was in a lost position.

“I was watching that and thinking ‘Lewis, no, nooo, not there. I think he should’ve conceded the corner, because it was quite clear that Max had the inside line. It was inevitable that Max was going to use all of the track", said Hill, who himself won the Grand Prix at Imola in 1995 and 1996.