Anthony Davidson
Expert Analyst
What happened in Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen USA qualy scrap?
Watch the SkyPad Extra special from US GP Qualifying!
Last Updated: 03/11/19 7:03pm
2:26
Max Verstappen turned the airwaves blue after coming close to Lewis Hamilton during United States GP qualifying, but what happened and why was he so annoyed?
In a SkyPad special, Anthony Davidson has all the answers...
The incident happened during Q2 when three drivers - Verstappen, Hamilton, and Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat - were preparing for their final laps and running slowly through the final sector on their out-laps.
Verstappen was pushed onto the grass when Hamilton, looking for better track position, came through, and angrily said on team radio: "Lewis f***** us all, so it's his f****** problem this is happening."
The Dutchman later said in the press conference: "We were all jjust slowing down to make space, and Lewis just drove by like nobody was there and didn't care. So I was like: well, if you don't care, I don't care. So I want to get my position back."
Daniil Kvyat, meanwhile, also ran wide at that time.
Ant is at the SkyPad to show you exactly what happened, looking at Hamilton's out-lap - and the Sky F1 expert believes it explains why Max was so irritated, while also showing why the final Q2 laps weren't quick.
"This keeps happening time and time again," said Ant about drivers backing off on their final out-laps. "And I think it's only going to increase this fight between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton."
0:54 Hamilton said: "It's just a nothing [incident]. I was trying to keep temperature in my tyres, everyone was driving so slow. There are no rules or regulations that stay you have to stay in single file. So I kept going and then he started to try and race me, which was fun."
Verstappen went on to qualify second, with the title-chasing Hamilton only fifth.
"Much better than expected," was how Verstappen, within a tenth of pole, described his qualifying.
Sunday's race starts at 7.10pm on Sky Sports F1, with build-up from 5.30pm.
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