Max Verstappen blasts FIA stewards investigation after controversial Lewis Hamilton incident

Max Verstappen has called out the FIA's stewards for placing him under investigation after an incident with Lewis Hamilton at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The F1 champions went wheel-to-wheel in Budapest – albeit for 10th place – with Verstappen attempting a sneaky overtake on Hamilton which forced his Ferrari to go wide and leave the track.

While the pair did not make visible contact, Verstappen was placed under investigation by the stewards with the Dutchman’s overtake called into question before the stewards ruled no further action.

Speaking to Viaplay after the race, Verstappen was quizzed on the incident and was not best pleased with the FIA’s decision to investigate him in the first place.

''I think it's disappointing that I have to go to the stewards again after the race,” he said.

“Just analyse it during the race, I don't get why we have to go. I put my nose next to his car, he's startled and goes off. So yeah. I don't know what's going on.''

Verstappen and Hamilton go wheel-to-wheel

Any incident involving Hamilton and Verstappen is likely to garner attention after their 2021 world title rivalry, which went down to the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi and ended under controversial circumstances.

Since then, Verstappen has become a four-time world champion with both drivers sharing 11 titles between them and enjoying their status as the best drivers on the grid.

Hamilton would be inclined to disagree with that comment after the Hungarian GP weekend, where a Q2 exit stood in contrast with his team-mate’s pole position.

The 40-year-old was unable to recover into a points-paying position in the race, finishing in P12 as Verstappen only managed ninth - below his former team-mate Liam Lawson.

Hamilton delivered a cryptic response after his performance in Budapest, where he suggested ‘there was a lot going on in the background that wasn’t great’, as a well-needed summer break awaits the champion.

Verstappen will also be looking forward to some rest, as a fifth world title looks entirely out of his reach in 2025.

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