Verstappen reacts to claim he’d have punched Hamilton if Monza crash was earlier

Max Verstappen has responded to a claim he would have ‘punched’ Hamilton in the face if their collision at the Italian GP happened earlier in his career.

Former F1 driver Timo Glock assumed the Dutchman would have lashed out at the Brit had the incident taken place if he was younger.

Now the Red Bull racer has responded to the German’s comments, with which he disagrees.

“I have got older and I have more experience, but I don't necessarily think I would have punched Lewis," said Verstappen, now in his seventh season.

“It is just that you experience more things and you learn how to deal with the sport better – that is just a natural process.

“I have been very relaxed the whole year. I cannot speak for Lewis, but from my side, there is no real extra pressure.”

Verstappen and Hamilton have been involved in two serious collisions this season, with the first being at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone.

Verstappen was going wheel to wheel with home hero Lewis Hamilton on the opening lap at Silverstone when the pair tangled at around 180mph at Copse Corner.

The 23-year-old clipped the defending champion’s car which sent him flying into the tyre barrier in a huge side-on impact.

At the Italian GP last month, the pair crashed out on the same corner after colliding into each other in a bizarre incident.

Hamilton had just left the pit lane and re-entered the track but Verstappen came up on his left hand side before trying to squeeze his rival out on the next bend.

Verstappen's car then looked unsteady as it bobbled over the curb on the bend, before the wheels of his Red Bull came together with that of Hamilton's Mercedes.

The clash forced Verstappen's car up into the air as both vehicles skidded off the track, with the Red Bull eventually resting on the nose of Hamilton's Mercedes and forcing both drivers out of the race.

"We have got together a few times and we were not happy with each other," said Verstappen.

“But a few races later you can see us sitting together in a press conference and laughing with each other again, and that is how racing goes."

He added: “A lot of people look at you and rate the rivalry, but at the end of the day it is not all that bad.

“Nobody looks to get together in a race but unfortunately these things happen. They have happened in go-karting and they have happened in Formula One.

“We all have those times where we have low moments with someone, but we are human beings. We move on, and we forgive."

The fiercely-competitive drivers will resume their gripping title fight at the US Grand Prix on Sunday.

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