Verstappen fires back over Hamilton incident

Max Verstappen sees no reason to change his driving style, despite being force to retire from the Bahrain Grand Prix after a second-lap collision with Lewis Hamilton. World champion Hamilton labelled Verstappen a "dickhead" while watching the incident back from the cool room post-race.

With both drivers displaced on the grid, Verstappen had made up four places on the first lap to catch Hamilton, before diving down the inside of the world champion into turn one.

As Verstappen looked to close the door, his left-rear tyre clipped the front wing of Hamilton, causing a puncture which resulted in further damage and ended his race prematurely.

A miserable race for Red Bull also saw Daniel Ricciardo's car shut down on the opening lap.

Verstappen's driving style has been a hot topic ever since his elevation into the senior Red Bull team, with Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen particularly vocal critics, but the Dutchman does not believe the incident in Bahrain was out of the ordinary.

"I was in the car so I felt it and I've seen it," he said of the incident. "That's racing - sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

"You can say whatever you like, I think I had a fair shot, nothing crazy, nothing risky, but it didn't work out.

"Looking back in Mexico last year it did work out. This time we gave each other not enough space but that's racing, sometimes it's good sometimes it's bad.

"I might have a talk with him [Hamilton], it depends if it's really necessary.

"Why should I change something? I don't think I did anything wrong.

"I was trying to overtake a car and it was a fair chance. It's racing, it's very simple and I don't understand why everybody is so on top of the topic. These things happen in racing."

Hamilton was more reserved in the post-race press conference in Bahrain, wile he also found an ally in Vettel, who claimed his outburst was fuelled by the adrenaline of the race.

The four-time world champion later suggested that Verstappen's immaturity may be costing Red Bull points, and the Red Bull driver says Hamilton did not want to shoulder any blame for the incident.

"Because it's quite simple and easy to blame the younger driver," he said. "That's the only way I can see it.

"Like I said, those things happen, it's no reason for me to change anything."