Damon Hill questions Christian Horner approach over Max Verstappen failures

Damon Hill has questioned Christian Horner's approach of not criticising Max Verstappen's tough on-track approach. 

Hill sharply criticised Verstappen for his on-track conduct after clashes with then-title rival Lando Norris during the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix after he forced Norris off-track in a matter of seconds, earning himself two 10-second time penalties and a number of penalty points.

The 1996 world champion Hill labelled Verstappen as "Dick Dastardly" for his conduct, referring to the iconic Wacky Races villain who would opt for nefarious schemes to try and deny other drivers from winning races. 

Hill doubled-down on his criticism of Verstappen's conduct, but also questioned Red Bull chief Horner for not stamping out Verstappen's actions. 

In response to the Norris incidents in Mexico, Horner only said that they appeared to be racing incidents and did not speak against Verstappen, who came in for widespread criticism. 

Hill used the example of former Ferrari boss Ross Brown criticising Michael Schumacher as evidence of Horner not speaking out.

"The internet is a knee-jerk reaction, and there is not enough time to into the nuances of what is meant or what is actually said," Hill explained on the Fast and the Curious podcast.

"It is literally a ping-pong ball inside a box that is being shaken around by the algorithm, and honestly, it is sensationalism, everything is grist to the mill for the internet.

"But the points I made about Max were completely justifiable, and I totally stand by them in terms of what he is prepared to on track during a race to maintain or recover his position, or prevent someone taking from a position and going a bit further to the limit than most would go. 

"My argument is that if everybody did that to Max, he'd be complaining about it, but the problem is, no-one does do it. 

"No-one uses the same exaggerated defensive tactics that he is prepared to use - he is a very impressive young man and racing driver, but there are some things that he does which need to be curtailed. 

"Even Ross Brawn said sometimes that Michael [Schumacher] went too far, but Christian [Horner] is reluctant to say that, but if those tactics work then people will use them. 

"So I think that is where the FIA has been weak in the past, the stewarding has to be more robust and you have to have a limit somewhere otherwise it is a free-for-all which brings the sport down and it just looks like a game of skittles. It is ridiculous."