Damon Hill Slams Verstappen’s ‘Dick Dastardly’ Tactics in Mexico

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen faced criticism from former F1 champion Damon Hill, who likened his tactics to the cartoon villain Dick Dastardly from Wacky Races after Verstappen received a 20-second penalty at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The penalty came from two incidents with his title rival, McLaren’s Lando Norris, who took second place in the race while Verstappen ended up in sixth. Norris described Verstappen’s driving as “dangerous.”

Reviewing the race, Hill argued that Verstappen’s driving was overly aggressive, stating, “He made no attempt to back off… it was simply a case of you are not coming through.” Hill pointed out one particularly contentious move where Verstappen accelerated toward the apex forcing Norris off the track which he described as “Dick Dastardly stuff” and called it “silly driving.”

The rivalry between Verstappen and Norris intensified following an earlier clash in Austin, Texas where a similar maneuver led to a penalty for Norris when he attempted to overtake Verstappen around the outside. Reflecting on Verstappen’s racing style, Damon Hill noted that “sport shows character,” implying that Verstappen’s approach often verges on unsporting, as he tends to “revert to preventative methods rather than fairness.”

Verstappen responded to the criticism without much remorse, commenting, “I just drive how I think I have to drive… I am not going to cry about it.” He emphasized that his main frustration was the lack of race pace in Mexico, rather than the penalties. Verstappen now leads Norris by 47 points with only four Grands Prix remaining in the 2024 season and 120 points still up for grabs as he aims for a fourth consecutive world championship.

The season continues in Brazil this weekend with Verstappen’s driving style under increased scrutiny as he pursues another title amid rising tension with Norris.