Hill Compares Verstappen To Villain Cartoon Character Dick Dastardly

Thursday, 31 October 2024 at 10:43

The 1996 F1 Champion Damon Hill slammed Max Verstappen for using Dick Dastardly tactics in the battle against Lando Norris in Mexico City.

It is safe to say that Damon Hill was not a fan of the move that Red Bull Racing F1 driver Max Verstappen pulled on Lando Norris into turn number 7 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on lap ten of the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix.

The triple World Champion threw his car down the inside on Norris in the fast left-hand turn where it was almost impossible to overtake. The Dutchman didn't make the corner and took the McLaren F1 driver off track with him.

Not only did this allow Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc to get ahead of both of them, but Max Verstappen then kept his position ahead of Norris. Hence, the 24-year-old basically lost two positions as a result.

The Red Bull Racing driver received a ten-second penalty for this move, the same as he did for the move that he made 3 corners earlier, where stewards ruled that he pushed the McLaren driver out of the track.

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While Hill said he's not sure whether the move in turn number 4 deserved a ten-second penalty, he's asserted the dive into turn number 7 was "Dick Dastardly stuff." He told Sky F1 Podcast:

"I think that he was right to get a penalty. Whether 10 seconds was the right penalty, I don't know, but I definitely think the second move he did was just daft. It was Dick Dastardly stuff."

Dick Dastardly is a villain character featured in multiple racing cartoons who aims to win solely through cheating and trickery.

"He just simply accelerated to the apex and it prevented Lando, which looked like Lando was giving him the opportunity taking the place back – Lando really didn’t have much option and they actually did touch, so that was silly driving."

Another former F1 driver, Martin Brundle (also from Sky Sports), commented on the move, saying Verstappen must have known when going for the move that there would be a chance he could take both himself and Norris out of the Grand Prix.

The former F1 driver and Sky Sport's co-commentator stated that Max Verstappen's legacy "will be tainted by his sporting attitude." Hill added:

"Max let himself down there. He's got such brilliance and clearly such a massive competitive spirit, but I don't think that was something to be proud of what he did there."