LEWIS HAMILTON and Max Verstappen’s EPIC F1 title race is going right to the wire, as the defending champ branded his rival “f****** crazy.”
The pair finished first and second in Saudi Arabia and are now level on points going into a nail-biting final weekend of fast track action.
There was debris strewn across the track after a heart-stopping moment where Verstappen was forced to let the Brit overtake him and they COLLIDED.
The stench of ill feeling between the Mercedes champ and Red Bull pretender has simmered all season and has boiled over a few times already.
Now, after storming off the podium in a huff, hot-headed Verstappen will have to summon all his might to try and prise the F1 championship off Hamilton, who could become the greatest driver of all time in Abu Dhabi this coming weekend.
Hamilton said of the collision: “This guy is f****** crazy. It was just dangerous driving dude.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve had to avoid collisions.
“It was clear that others around us were willing to take it to all sorts of levels to overtake so I just tried to keep it on the track and stay out of trouble.
“We are supposed to do our racing on track between the white lines.
“The rules haven’t been clear from the stewards and those things have been allowed, so it has continued.”
Hamilton and Verstappen are now both on 369.5 championship points, but only one driver can take the spoils in the last weekend of action.
- Result: 1st Hamilton 2nd Verstappen 3rd Bottas 4th Ocon
Follow ALL the action with our live blog below…
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VERSTAPPEN PENALTY
A reminder of the news from late last night…
Max Verstappen has been hit with a 10-second penalty after causing a crash with Lewis Hamilton at the Saudi Arabian GP.
The Red Bull ace was handed the time punishment by race stewards on Sunday night after colliding with his Mercedes rival on lap 37.
However, Verstappen keeps his second-place finish after coming in 16 seconds faster than third-place Valtteri Bottas.
And it means he remains level with Hamilton on points going into next weekend’s final race with the title at stake.
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BOTTAS ON NICKING THIRD
A forgotten story from yesterday was Valtteri Bottas nicking third place from Esteban Ocon with an overtake on the final straight.
And the Finn admitted it was a challenging day around the new Saudi Arabian circuit.
Bottas said: “Not an easy day, the first red flag being on the hard tyre [for the restart] was a mistake.
“It wasn’t easy to overtake but finally on the last lap I got third. It’s a big challenge physically and mentally”
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VERSTAPPEN ON COLLISSION
Max Verstappen discussed his side of events involving the collision with Lewis Hamilton in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Verstappen said: “At one point he ran into my back.
“I was looking into my mirror waiting for him to pass. They told me to give him the position. The whole season has been up and down, good moments and bad moments.
“[Abu Dhabi] is going to be exciting. I just try to do the best I can”
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‘WE’D INFORMED RACE CONTROL’
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has labelled Lewis Hamilton’s collision with title rival Max Verstappen ‘very frustrating’, whilst also moaning about the Brit’s speed.
On the lap 37 incident, Horner said: “I think we feel hard done by with the five-second penalty and in the incident where Lewis has driven up the back of Max.
“They’ll go and explain in front of the stewards, but Max was trying to give the place up. We informed race control we were going to give the place up.
“He lifted off, I think you can hear Lewis has lifted off. I don’t know if he was messing around for the DRS line there. It was clear that we were giving the place up. We’d informed race control. That was what we were going to do.
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STAPP SIGN
Furious Max Verstappen stormed off the podium after seeing Lewis Hamilton draw level with him in the title race.
The Red Bull ace could only finish second in Sunday’s thrilling Saudi Arabian GP, with his Mercedes rival taking top spot.
Verstappen was clearly unhappy as he joined Hamilton on the podium after the race had ended.
As per usual, the top three racers – including Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas – took their place on stage before being handed champagne bottles to spray each other.
But Verstappen stormed off the podium after receiving his, all the while refusing to make eye contact with Hamilton.
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LEVEL PEGGING
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are LEVEL on points heading into the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.
The Dutchman leads because he has won one more race – but will Hamilton pip him to the title this Sunday?
It promises to be a thrilling finale.
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‘CRAZY’
Lewis Hamilton suggested rival Max Verstappen drives over the limit after his action-packed win in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
After the race Hamilton said: “For me I really had to try and keep my cool out there which was really difficult to do.
“I have raced a lot of drivers through my life in 28 years and I have come across a lot of different characters.
“There’s a few at the top which are over the limit, rules don’t apply or don’t think of the rules.
“I just try to do my talking on the track and keep the car between the white lines and do it the right way.”
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WOLFF CRY
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff erupted in pure rage after Max Verstappen ‘brake tested’ Lewis Hamilton in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – nearly ending the F1 title race in the process.
Wolff watched on furiously before standing up and throwing his headset down in rage, fearing Hamilton’s title comeback was dead in the water.
Hamilton was then heard saying over the radio: “He just brake tested me! That’s dangerous driving.”
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WATCH BOTH RESTARTS
Here are the two restarts from yesterday’s race. Formula 1 drama at its finest.
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MAX POWER
Max Verstappen has been hit with a 10-second penalty after causing a crash with Lewis Hamilton at the Saudi Arabian GP.
The Red Bull ace was handed the time punishment by race stewards on Sunday night after colliding with his Mercedes rival on lap 37.
However, Verstappen keeps his second-place finish after coming in 16 seconds faster than third-place Valtteri Bottas.
And it means he remains level with Hamilton on points going into next weekend’s final race with the title at stake.
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GOOD MORNING F1 FANS
British superstar Lewis Hamilton won an action-packed Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to take the Driver’s Championship to the final week.
On a day where there were two red flags and numerous other minor incidents, it was all about rivals Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the front.
And things came to a head when the pair collided late in the race, with Verstappen looking to yield his place on the straight while the Brit was unaware of his intentions.
A five-second penalty meant that the Dutchman was unable to pull back the Mercedes star and it’s now all eyes on Abu Dhabi.
The two foes will now head into the final race on the same points, which means it’s all up for grabs and anything can happen.
Hamilton said after his victory: “That was incredibly tough.
“I tried to be as sensible as I could be, with all my race experience over the years, just keeping the car on track and staying clean.
“I’m really proud of everyone and grateful for the car this weekend.
“I didn’t quite understand why he hit the brakes so heavily, and then I ran into the back of him, and then he drove off so it was a bit confusing”
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‘CRAZY’
Lewis Hamilton suggested Red Bull rival Max Verstappen drives over the limit after his action-packed win in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Hamilton said: “For me I really had to try and keep my cool out there which was really difficult to do.
“I have raced a lot of drivers through my life in 28 years and I have come across a lot of different characters.
“There’s a few at the top which are over the limit, rules don’t apply or don’t think of the rules.
“I just try to do my talking on the track and keep the car between the white lines and do it the right way.
“There were so many crazy curb walls and then he obviously brake tested I think to try and get the DRS into the last corner to overtake me again going into turn one.
“Does Max fall into that category…He is over the limit for sure. I have avoided collisions on so many occasions with the guy and I don’t know in his mind being the one who does that. But you fight to live another day which I did”
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VERSTAPPEN ON COLLISSION
Max Verstappen discussed his side of events involving the collision with Lewis Hamilton in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Verstappen said: “At one point he ran into my back.
“I was looking into my mirror waiting for him to pass. They told me to give him the position. The whole season has been up and down, good moments and bad moments.
“[Abu Dhabi] is going to be exciting – I just try to do the best I can”
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WOLFF ADDED
“Credit to Race Control, it’s difficult to manage.
“I need to reserve judgement, I need to see the race more before I say anything that maybe isn’t right.
“It’s really the driving that needs to be assessed and looked at. It’s hard, really hard, maybe too hard. We just want the best man to win and if it’s Max [Verstappen] at the end so be it.
“Everybody has had their fair share of bad luck, Max lost points at Silverstone, wasn’t at all to blame in Hungary. Then we’ve had engine penalties…”
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MORE FROM WOLFF
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff praised the race directors on their attempts to manage a wild event.
“We’re biased, obviously from our side there was frustration [after the first red flag]. I need to reserve judgement, see the race again tomorrow.
“It’s really [Max Verstappen’s] driving that needs to be assessed and looked at. It’s hard, really hard, maybe over-the-line hard.
“We just want a clean championship. If it’s Max [who wins], I’ll make peace with that. But we just want it to be [fair]”
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WOLFF ON COLLISSION
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff addressed the collision between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
Wolff said: “The telemetry shows that [Verstappen] was slowing down, then accelerating again, then slowing down.
“No, [Hamilton] didn’t know [Verstappen was supposed to let him past], and I think that [was due to] the wrong sequence of messages coming through there.
“I don’t remember, honestly. It was so intense, the sequence of events. I think it could have been confusion, absolutely, but the stewards will look precisely at the telemetry and come to a judgement.
“If the drivers were not informed properly, that’s going to play a big role”
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HORNER REACTS
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner suggested that Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton was “messing around” as he collided with Max Verstappen at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Horner told Sky Sports: “Max was trying to give the place up. We informed race control that we were going to give the place up and Max was lifting off. I think Lewis was lifting off.
“I don’t know if [Hamilton] was messing around looking for the DRS line. It was clear that we had given the place up.
“It’s weird because Lewis is slowing down behind him, it sounds like he’s lifting off.
“It was like [Hamilton] didn’t want to pass him because of the DRS. We were trying to give the place up and Lewis then drives up the back of Max’s car.
“We’ve picked up quite a bit of damage from that. Very, very frustrating”
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WOLFF REACTS
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff insists Lewis Hamilton “deserved” the victory in the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
Wolff said: “The result at the end, winning the race, I think he deserved it.
“I don’t want to now have dirty laundry here but what the telemetry shows is that [Max Verstappen] is slowing down and speeds off again.
“Hamilton didn’t know [he was being given the place]”
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BOTTAS REACTS
Mercedes star Valtteri Bottas finished third in the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix and admits it was “not an easy day”.
Bottas said: “Not an easy day, the first red flag being on the hard tyre [for the restart] was a mistake.
“It wasn’t easy to overtake but finally on the last lap I got third.
“It’s a big challenge physically and mentally”
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PODIUM TIME
Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas took their place in second and third respectively on the podium.
And on top of it all stands Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton after is incedible victory in Saudi Arabia.
Hamilton and Verstappen are level on points and it will all come to a head in Abu Dhabi
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HAMILTON REACTS
Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton praised his team after an incredible victory in Saudi Arabia.
Hamilton said: “That was incredibly tough.
“I tried to be as sensible as I could be, with all my race experience over the years, just keeping the car on track and staying clean.
“I’m really proud of everyone and grateful for the car this weekend.
“I didn’t quite understand why he hit the brakes so heavily, and then I ran into the back of him, and then he drove off so it was a bit confusing”
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VERSTAPPEN REACTS
Red Bull star Max Verstappen is looking forward to the Abu Dhabi race where it will all be decided.
Verstappen said after the race: “Yeah, it was quite eventful.
“A lot of things happened that I don’t fully agree with, but I gave it my all.
“It will be decided [in Abu Dhabi] so hopefully we’ll have a good weekend, we’ll see”
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LEADERBOARD
Mercedes superstar Lewis Hamilton finished first in the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
Red Bull rival Max Verstappen followed behind in second with Hamilton’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas third.
Alpine’s Esteban Ocon and McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo completed the top five.
More below:
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REACTION
Hamilton kept his head and handled the pressure brilliantly. He did not let up and even after colliding with his rival remained cool and got the overtake.
Hamilton said: “Great job guys, great job. That’s more like it. Let’s keep pushing!”
Verstappen said: “It is what it is mate. I tried.”
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ALL LEVEL
Hamilton’s win and fastest lap means he and Verstappen head to Abu Dhabi LEVEL on points.