Lewis Hamilton hit back at Max Verstappen's suggestion he deserved a penalty after the pair reignited one of Formula One's fiercest rivalries with a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle at the Austrian Grand Prix.
The former title rivals produced one of the standout moments of the race as Verstappen attempted to sweep around the outside of Hamilton at Turn Four before running wide into the gravel.
The Red Bull driver immediately told his team over the radio that Hamilton should have been penalised for forcing him off the circuit.
However, race stewards opted against launching an investigation, allowing the action to continue without intervention.
Lewis Hamilton hits back at Max Verstappen after reigniting their old feud
|REUTERS
Hamilton was equally dismissive after the race, insisting Verstappen had only himself to blame for attempting such an ambitious move.
"You don't drive around the outside of a champion at Turn Four," Hamilton said afterwards, adding that Verstappen had simply "run out of road".
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The exchange was another chapter in one of Formula One's most heated modern rivalries, which reached boiling point during their dramatic 2021 title battle.
While the pair have rarely gone wheel-to-wheel in recent seasons due to contrasting fortunes on track, Austria delivered another reminder of their uncompromising racing styles.
Max Verstappen insisted Lewis Hamilton should have been penalised
|REUTERS
Verstappen maintained he believed Hamilton had crossed the line, describing the incident over team radio as a "clear penalty".
Despite his frustrations, the Dutchman recovered to finish second after producing one of his strongest drives of the season, having started fifth following his qualifying crash.
Hamilton's afternoon proved more difficult. Ferrari struggled with tyre degradation throughout the race, forcing the seven-time world champion onto a three-stop strategy that ultimately left him fifth at the chequered flag.
Afterwards, he admitted the race had been a "reality check" for Ferrari despite the team's recent improvement in form.
George Russell claimed victory for Mercedes after converting pole position into his second win of the campaign, holding off Verstappen in the closing stages, while Kimi Antonelli completed the podium.
Although Verstappen was left frustrated by the stewards' decision not to investigate his clash with Hamilton, the incident provided one of the defining moments of an action-packed Austrian Grand Prix and served as another reminder that, even years after their championship showdown, neither driver is prepared to give the other an inch.