David Coulthard compares F1 to UFC as Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fight continues

Hamilton v Verstappen: Their careers in numbers

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

David Coulthard has compared F1 to UFC after a controversial battle between title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in Saudi Arabia. The Scot cited one particular FIA ruling which left him perplexed during an incident-packed Sunday, with race director Michael Masi facing numerous tough decisions. 

Lumping extra pressure on those decisions were the fine margins between Hamilton and Verstappen, as well as Mercedes and Red Bull, in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. 

With the two drivers away and clear from the rest of the field, wheel-to-wheel action resulted in two separate collisions, but it was the Mercedes man who left Jeddah victorious.

Despite being slapped with two time penalties for his dogged attempts to win the race, Verstappen clung on to second place ahead of Valtteri Bottas. 

Hamilton’s fastest lap point, earned despite front-wing damage caused by Verstappen, means that the duo go into the final race in Abu Dhabi locked on 369.5 points apiece. 

“You look at UFC – as far as I know, there’s only two rules and it’s about below the belt and about the eyes, everything else goes,” Coulthard told the F1 Nation podcast.

“This now feels like F1 has been redefined as F1 UFC, pretty much anything is going, and then the stewards are stepping in.

“The standout for me is when Red Bull were given the option to give up what was the lead of the Grand Prix to then take the restart in third.

“I’ve never heard anything like that before – I need that explaining to me.”

A jam-packed evening of racing saddled Masi with various tough decisions which threaten to have lasting implications on the Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings. 

Another bizarre incident which backs up Coulthard’s concern about a lack of rules and structure came when Verstappen slowed down, under orders, to give first place back to Hamilton. 

Seemingly confused, the seven-time world champion also slowed before the pair made contact. Neither sustained race-ending damage, but it was another development which made it difficult to determine who was at fault.  

With one race to go and the Drivers’ title on a knife-edge, many are hoping for a clean race in Abu Dhabi, while if neither driver managed to finish, the crown would be Verstappen’s due to race wins. 

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner naturally backed his star man to the hills on Sunday, but Martin Brundle called for the Dutchman to reign in his audacious antics. 

“I think Verstappen has got to think about his driving standards,” he told Sky Sports.

“They were too much today. There’s aggressive, determined, feisty racing and then there’s what we saw this evening, which was too much.”

Source: Read Full Article