Hamilton told Verstappen pass was nothing personal, ‘just Max’

Max Verstappen’s audacious pass on Lewis Hamilton in Hungary wasn’t anything personal; it was just Max Verstappen being Max Verstappen.

Verstappen went into Formula 1’s summer break on the back of a podium result in Hungary, with the Red Bull setting himself up for the champagne celebrations with a double overtake that started with Lawson and ended with Hamilton.

Max Verstappen’s Hungary overtake on Lewis Hamilton explained

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Hamilton was running in fourth place behind Verstappen at the Hungaroring when Ferrari called him in for an early pit stop on Lap 13. Red Bull responded to the challenge by pitting Verstappen on the very next lap.

The undercut worked for Hamilton, who was ahead of his 2021 title rival when Verstappen exited the pit lane. Liam Lawson was ahead of them both as he had yet to pit.

Verstappen wasn’t having that, and went late on the brakes into Turn 1 to pass Lawson and Hamilton in one move.

The Dutchman’s overtake was pivotal to his runner-up result, as he gained two positions in spectacular fashion.

But don’t for a moment think it was anything personal towards his 2021 title rival, it was just Verstappen being Verstappen.

“No, he does it to everyone,” former F1 driver Christijan Albers told De Telegraaf.

“That is what is so great about Max. That is what Red Bull pays his high salary for.

“Every lap, every corner and at every braking point, he just keeps fighting.”

Verstappen, for his part, was matter-of-fact about the overtake as he saw a gap and went for it.

“I saw the opportunity,” he told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media. “It was my only one. I just went for it.

“We’re good on the brakes, so that helped, but it was all under control.”

But while he was blasé about the double pass, championship leader Kimi Antonelli appreciated the moment.

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Sitting in the green room as the highlights of the Grand Prix were played, the Mercedes driver exclaimed, “Oh my God” when Verstappen’s move appeared on screen.

Even Lawson, who was part one of the double overtake, was impressed.

“I was just trying not to get in the way and be too much involved,” Lawson told PlanetF1.com and other accredited media. “I wasn’t getting lapped, so I didn’t have to let them go.

“I didn’t expect him to go by.

“Obviously, I saw the late lunge. It ended up costing me so much time behind them, which at the time was a bit stressful, but it was a good move.

“It was a very Max move.”

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