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Qualifying for F1's inaugural Qatar Grand Prix saw Lewis Hamilton taking pole position, Max Verstappen grabbing second place, and Valtteri Bottas rounding out the top three qualifiers. In the post-qualifying press conference, all three drivers were asked to share their views on the rather lengthy driver's briefing that took place on Friday night.
The briefing was regarding the Lewis Hamilton-Max Verstappen incident at the Brazil Grand Prix, where the Dutchman appeared to muscle his title rival off-track. Although the FIA decided that no investigation was needed, the legality of Verstappen's move has been a topic of discussion all week long.
When asked whether the hour-long driver's briefing provided sufficient clarity regarding what's acceptable as a racing move and what isn't, here's what Verstappen had to say:
"So I think we came a long way and it was a very long breifing. So yeah I think it was in the end...pretty clear."
Verstappen emphasized that every driver has a different way of approaching races, moves, and overtakes, and interprets rules differently. He believes the FIA tried their best to "align everyone in having the same process."
Contrary to his Dutch rival, this is what Lewis Hamilton said when asked about whether it is clear what the rules are when it comes to overtaking:
"No. It's not clear. Every driver, I think, except for Max, was asking about, you know, just for clarity. Most drivers were asking for clarity but it wasn't very clear. So, umm...yeah it's still not clear what the limits of the track are."
Despite their clashing viewpoints, both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen agreed on consistency being the need of the hour. As long as all teams are on the same page regarding the rules, there will be less room for speculation and ambiguity.
More aggressive driving between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen at Qatar Grand Prix?
Since the incident involving the two main contenders for the 2021 championship title, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have been deemed unpunishable by some. A handful of drivers seem to have changed their perspective when it comes to the style of driving.
When asked if he would now change his approach to racing and be more aggressive, this is what Lewis Hamilton had to say:
Umm...Yeah, I guess so...Potentially. I would assume so...Yeah.
Here's what Bottas had to say at the post-qualifying press conference:
Yeah, I mean if that's most likely going to be okay then obviously. I mean, it just depends on the situation.
Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, who will be starting from P13 in Qatar, believes he can now adapt his driving when it comes to overtaking.
He was quoted by ESPN F1 as saying:
"If this is allowed, then overtaking around the outside is going to be very difficult. But yeah, whatever the situation, the decison is, I'll just adapt my driving to it."
With ambiguity surrounding what's acceptable on-track behavior, and with just three races left to decide the title, the chances of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen coming together once more cannot be ruled out.
