‘Conspiracy’: Hamilton calls out ‘deliberate’ Verstappen, Red Bull ploy

Lewis Hamilton says Red Bull is up to some sneaky tricks as it tries absolutely everything to help Max Verstappen win a world title.

Lewis Hamilton is hoping he can reel in Verstappen. Photo: AFP

Lewis Hamilton has accused Max Verstappen of deliberately locking up in qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as part of a title decider “conspiracy”.

The Dutchman took a scintillating pole position lap hailed by Red Bull boss Christian Horner as one of the best of the year.

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It was a far cry from his disappointment just seven days ago when he hit the wall at the final turn on another flying lap, costing him a shot at pole in Saudi Arabia as Hamilton went on to win the penultimate race of the year.

But The Sun reports the small lock-up in Abu Dhabi — in the unusually dramatic middle section — could have huge implications for the thrilling championship battle, with Verstappen now set to start in Abu Dhabi on different tyres to Hamilton.

And it didn’t go unnoticed by Hamilton, who seemed to accuse his rival of ruining his tyres on purpose.

Hamilton said: “It was interesting that lock-up into Turn One. I’m a conspiracist but no one locks up into Turn One and if you do it is not a big one.

“I think they did it deliberately so they chose to go on to the soft tyre.”

Why could it prove so crucial? F1 rules state drivers have to start the race on the same set of tyres they set their quickest lap in Q2.

Verstappen’s lock-up came on a set of medium, yellow-walled tyres, as he slid while trying to slow down his Red Bull. It caused a flat-spot on his tyre and meant Red Bull were forced to swap him onto the quicker but less durable soft tyre, with the red walls.

That means Verstappen will likely benefit from better pace off the line at the start of the grand prix.

However he could be reeled in by Hamilton during the race as soft tyres are less durable and Verstappen will have to pit first.

Red Bull is leaving no stone unturned to win a world title. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

It leaves the race delicately poised as Hamilton and Verstappen will start the race on different strategies — with whoever crosses the line first to win the world championship.

However, Hamilton thinks he is on the right tyre choice.

He said: “I hope we are on the right one and time will tell, but if they have the degradation we think will happen to the soft tyre, we will be in a good place.”

Pole position means the omens are good for Verstappen, as the last six winners of this race have started P1.

Hamilton is still optimistic though. “I’m still on the front row, we’ve got the difference between the tyres and I’m grateful I can see where he is,” he said.

Some speculated that was in reference to the pair’s controversial crash in Monza, where Verstappen went over the top of Hamilton’s Mercedes.

Despite having missed out on pole in Abu Dhabi, Hamilton was nonetheless pleased with lining up in second — and said he wasn’t a fan of Verstappen receiving a “tow” from teammate Sergio Perez in qualifying to help him speed through a slipstream.

“We’ve never, ever really done that,” Hamilton said. “I like Valtteri (teammate Valtteri Bottas) to focus on … we work as a team and Valtteri needed to get the best job done for himself to have both of us as high up as possible.

“It’s never something we discuss or we work on and I don’t believe it should have been done.”

There’s no love lost between the pair. (Photo by Sam Bloxham - Pool/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Hamilton, who was booed after qualifying by the orange-clad Verstappen fans, said he would use the jeers as “fuel”.

And he said he is feeling “a million times better” than when he was last fighting for the title on the final day of the season — back in 2016 when he lost out to then-Mercedes colleague Nico Rosberg.

“I feel a million times different. It’s a much, much different scenario. Completely different and a million times better I feel now than I did then. I feel good,” Hamilton said.

“It is not something I particularly want to go into. I am just in a different place in life than in 2016

“(I’m) facing different resistance in life and this time I’m just in a different and much happier place.”

This story originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as ‘Conspiracy’: Hamilton calls out ‘deliberate’ Verstappen, Red Bull ploy