Max Verstappen slapped with deliberate F1 punishment amid Lewis Hamilton mind games

Max Verstappen's former trainer has admitted that the four-time world champion was aware he would receive a £43,000 fine when he touched Lewis Hamilton's rear wing following the 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix. The infamous move formed part of Red Bull's psychological warfare in their clash with Mercedes.

Verstappen and Hamilton engaged in an epic title battle in 2021, with the two modern Formula 1 legends exchanging victories throughout the campaign. Going into the Sao Paulo, the Red Bull ace had carved out a crucial lead following triumphs in Texas and Mexico City, but Mercedes struck back.

The Brit was forced to fight from the rear of the grid after being thrown out of qualifying due to a rear-wing violation. Verstappen had personally examined the part in parc ferme beforehand in a gesture that landed him a hefty penalty from the FIA.

Speaking about the contest on the High Performance podcast, Bradley Scanes disclosed this formed part of a broader psychological strategy. "Brazil is a good example where Max went behind the Mercedes rear wing and was giving it a good feel," Verstappen's former trainer explained.

"That was measured. He knew he was going to get a 50k€ fine and no impact on track. Even if nothing happened, [it would have been worthwhile]. I think there was a change. For the last two races, they couldn't run that particular wing, so that was helpful in its own sense because they absolutely ran away with that Brazil race.

"But even if nothing happened, that would have just shifted the focus, put a little bit of pressure in the media on them. Obviously, the games between Toto [Wolff] and Christian [Horner] were always clear to see in the media.

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"But then backstage, [in the] cooldown rooms between Max and Lewis or even Angela [Cullen, Hamilton's personal trainer], [we] would kind of try and have a little go as well."

Yet, Verstappen's mischievous mind games proved futile at the Brazilian GP as Hamilton stormed through the pack to claim victory. It sparked a sensational streak for the Brit, who triumphed in the subsequent races in Qatar and Saudi Arabia to pull level with his World championship adversary going into the season's climactic showdown in Abu Dhabi.

But it was Verstappen who had the final say, sweeping past Hamilton on the closing lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in highly controversial circumstances to secure his first drivers' championship title and establish the battle as one of the most thrilling in the sport's history.

The Dutchman went on to win four titles in a row, though that streak will end this year with one of the two McLaren drivers set to become champion for the first time. Hamilton was already a seven-time title-winner in 2021, but has yet to have the chance to add an eighth even after his switch to Ferrari.