'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
1997 F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve commented on Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen's epic battle at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on Sunday, comparing it to "rental karting."
Villeneuve told Motorsport.com:
"It wasn't F1, it was rental karting. Everything was wrong. So I'm not sure what to say. And it's hard to stay neutral, it's hard to give a comment on what happened every time and be perceived as being neutral. You will always be perceived as taking sides, and that's when it becomes a bit too much. Do we want sport and good F1? Or do we just want a Hollywood show? If you want a Hollywood show, today was amazing. But is that what F1 is all about?"
The now-F1 pundit commented on the erratic nature of the Grand Prix, which saw multiple red flags, safety cars and incidents. The most famous of the incidents was when Max Verstappen "strategically" slowed down to let Lewis Hamilton pass after an illegal overtake earlier in the race, at which point Hamilton ran into the back of his Red Bull due to miscommunication with the Mercedes pit wall.
The seemingly enraged world champion commented on the DRS zones which were the main cause of controversy in the battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. He said:
"Someone slows down in front of you, you overtake. The problem is those stupid DRS lines. And Lewis Hamilton didn't want to cross the DRS ahead of Max. He knew Max was letting him by. He just didn't want them Max to have the DRS for the next straight line, because Max would have overtaken him, so they both played dumb there."
The Canadian won his — and so far, Canada's — only title in F1 in 1997 after Michael Schumacher was disqualified from the final race of the season for allegedly trying to cause a collision. He is the son of former Ferrari driver Gilles Villeneuve, after whom the Canadian Grand Prix circuit in Montreal is named.
Lewis Hamilton at a slight disadvantage heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Despite being tied on points. Lewis Hamilton is at a slight disadvantage heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend as Max Verstappen has a higher number of race wins this season - nine to Lewis's eight - giving him the title in the case of a double-DNF for the title contenders.
Many fear the outcome of the intense championship will be decided through an accident between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
Former driver Damon Hill highlighted the issue by saying:
"For a driver to resist the temptation to be an aggressive defender is extremely high. We’ve had enough of these championships which have been decided controversially, and I think that, for all the good work the sport does, it’s slightly undone when we have an unsatisfactory resolution."
Catch the action as we head to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the winner takes it all.
