Damon Hill reacts as Max Verstappen shares reasoning behind missing the Lewis Hamilton produced "F1" movie

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was absent from the FOM-organized private screening of 'F1: The Movie' held on Wednesday in Monaco. He explained that the screening was private and he wished to spend his precious time at home with family. Interestingly, ex-F1 world champion Damon Hill backed Verstappen.

'F1: The Movie,' starring Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, is set to release in theaters on June 27. The film, co-produced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, will see Pitt portrayed as Sonny Hayes, a former Formula 1 driver who returns to the sport to mentor a young rookie, Joshua Pearce, played by Damson Idris.

Meanwhile, ahead of its official release, FOM hosted a special screening for all 20 F1 drivers at Monaco on Wednesday. However, Verstappen, the reigning world champion, was absent from the event. He explained that the screening was optional and he wanted to spend more time with his family. Talking to AutoSport, he said,

"I told FOM way in advance that I would not be there that evening. I just wanted to spend more time at home. It wasn't a mandatory event either; it was just my private time. And I prefer to spend that private time at home, especially because in Formula 1 you're away from home so much already. Wanting to spend more time at home on days like that is pretty normal, I think. Now that the family is growing, I definitely prefer to spend more time at home."

Meanwhile, former F1 world champion Damon Hill backed Max Verstappen, and in a social media story, he said:

"I get that. The demands on F1 drivers time is insane."

Damon Hill's IG Story [Image Source: @96f1champ/Instagram]

That being said, 18 drivers and many senior personnel attended the screening in Monaco on Wednesday and shared positive feedback.

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Max Verstappen reacts to new pit stop rule in Monaco

Max Verstappen at F1 Grand Prix of Monaco - Practice - Source: Getty

To add some excitement to the race weekend, FIA has mandated two pit stops in this year's Monaco Grand Prix. Max Verstappen, who last won in Imola, said that the new rule is a double-edged sword. It could either lead to a straightforward race or cause chaos.

Talking to GP Blog, he said,

"I guess it can go both ways—it can be quite straightforward, or it can go completely crazy because of safety cars coming into play or not making the right calls. I think it will spice it up, probably a bit more. Normally, with one stop, once you have a good pit stop and everything is fine, then you drive to the end and just stay focused and not hit the barrier. But maybe with a two-stop, it can create something different—people gambling, guessing when the right time is to box. So hopefully, it will spice it up a bit more."

Max Verstappen has won only two out of the seven races held so far. He is trailing 22 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri at P3.