“Aggressive as hell” – Lewis Hamilton appears to suggest Max Verstappen is a ‘bully’ following Silverstone clash in unseen Drive to Survive footage

Lewis Hamilton has reportedly labeled Max Verstappen “aggressive as hell”. He also suggested the reigning world champion to be a bully in an episode of Netflix’s upcoming season of Drive to Survive.

As reported by Insider, the seven-time world champion reportedly criticized Verstappen for his “aggressive driving style” following their infamous clash at Silverstone last season. Speaking about the clash, the Briton reportedly said:

“I think Max is aggressive as hell. And more often than not, he pushes it to the limit and beyond. I’ve raced against a lot of drivers. There is [sic] always bullies, but that’s not how I operate. I just try and beat them on track.”

Lewis Hamilton’s comments come courtesy of several reviewers who were given early access to select episodes of Drive to Survive's season 4 by Netflix, in preparation for its release next weekend.

Since his F1 debut over seven years ago, Max Verstappen has often been labeled aggressive by his fellow drivers. Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, in particular, have been vocal critics of the Dutchman in the past.

The Silverstone clash was one of several flashpoints in the Hamilton and Verstappen rivalry last season, when the two went head-to-head for the championship. It was the first time that Hamilton refused to back down from a fight with Verstappen, leading to disastrous consequences for the former.

As Verstappen was undergoing medical checks after a heavy impact with the barriers, Hamilton cruised to victory, despite sustaining considerable damage to his car.

The duo clashed three more times across the rest of the season. Neither refused to back down from the fight, with each willing the other to give up their on-track position. Their clash at the Italian GP was especially ugly after both had dismal pit stops to incidentally arrive at the same piece of track.

Fresh out of the pits and marginally ahead, Hamilton expected Verstappen to back off. The latter expected the same from his rival, given that he was on the racing line. This time, their clash led to both of them retiring from the race, with Hamilton barely escaping serious injuries courtesy of the Halo.

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Mercedes will ensure nothing “gets in the way” of Lewis Hamilton and eighth F1 title: Ted Kravitz

F1 TV pundit Ted Kravitz believes Mercedes will do everything in their power to ensure Lewis Hamilton has the best chance at clinching his eighth world title in 2022 if the W13 proves to be quick.

Despite new teammate George Russell’s potential for upending intra-team harmony, Kravitz believes Mercedes will ensure that the youngster doesn’t hamper Hamilton’s title offense. Speaking to Sky Sports F1, he said:

“Lewis would have preferred [former teammate] Valtteri Bottas to stay because they had an established relationship with good respect, and Lewis didn’t have to worry about the other driver being quicker than him too often. That might not be the case with Russell, but Mercedes will make sure nothing gets in the way of Lewis going for the championship if he is way ahead.”

Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had earlier claimed that both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell would have equal opportunities within the team. He also said that they do not have a “no.1” driver between them.