‘Doesn’t forget’ – Hamilton warning sent to Verstappen after Austrian GP clash

Lewis Hamilton “doesn’t forget” was the warning from Juan Pablo Montoya to Max Verstappen as Hamilton muscled his former title protagonist into the gravel at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Hamilton and Verstappen raced no-holds-barred at the Red Bull Ring as they twice went wheel-to-wheel. But while Hamilton won round one, it was Verstappen who came out ahead in their second battle.

Juan Pablo Montoya warns Max Verstappen about Lewis Hamilton rivalry

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

Hamilton and Verstappen produced two of the biggest highlights at an entertaining Austrian Grand Prix in a throwback to their F1 2021 title fight.

Racing for a potential podium position, Hamilton was running ahead of Verstappen when on Lap 11, the Red Bull driver made his move.

He passed Hamilton into Turn 3, but the Ferrari driver was having none of that and fought back. Side-by-side, Hamilton refused to give an inch as Verstappen was muscled onto the gravel.

“Clear penalty!” Verstappen exclaimed over team radio.

Although Race Control noted the incident, no further action was taken.

Hamilton scoffed at Verstappen’s complaint when he was told that the Red Bull driver had called for him to get a penalty.

“He went off the outside. You don’t expect to go around the outside of a champion,” said the seven-time world champion.

“I wouldn’t expect to go around the outside of him there and hold the line.

“So he was behind at the apex, and therefore he should have backed out.”

The two world champions were back at it after the first round of pit stops, with Verstappen again passing at Turn 3, only for Hamilton to come back.

Again side-by-side through the sweeps, the Dutch racer went aggressively down the inside at Turn 6. This time, he made it stick.

Their battle delighted former F1 driver Montoya, who warned Verstappen that Hamilton will never make it easy for him.

Analysis from the Austrian Grand Prix

Austrian GP conclusions: Desperate Russell, Verstappen future, Newey’s Aston vision

Austrian GP 2026 driver ratings: Hamilton challenge fades as Verstappen ups the ante

“I think the racing was really good,” the former Williams and McLaren race winner told F1 TV.

“I think sometimes people forget what happened between Max and Lewis before, and Lewis doesn’t forget.

“When you’re a driver, and they run you over before, you don’t forget, and if you can give it to them, you will all the way. And that’s what we saw.

“It was unbelievable. I was giggling watching that.”

Verstappen went on to finish the Grand Prix in second place, his best result of the season, while Hamilton fell to fifth as Ferrari lacked straight-line speed around the Red Bull Ring.

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: Max Verstappen data settles Austrian GP strategy debate