Verstappen enjoys battle: "Lewis never has the intention to crash"

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton met for the third time in three races for an on-track battle. Both drivers visibly enjoy the battles and know they can trust each other blindly when fighting for position.

"Yeah, it’s been really cool, especially when you race a driver, when you know that you can go to the absolute limit, I guess you can trust each other to just race super-hard," said Verstappen in the FIA press conference. "It’s been really close to each other but predictable. Lewis has never had something like ‘oh, we’re going to crash’ or something."

Verstappen says he has full confidence in Hamilton and that they will always give each other enough space. The Mercedes driver agrees: "I think it is naturally down to respect and I think both very, very hard but fair."

Hamilton thinks they will continue in this manner and keep it clean: "I think we will continue to keep it clean and keep it on the edge but I don’t think either of us has a plan to get any closer than we have been," concludes the seven-time world champion.