Montoya: Hamilton’s Fierce Austria Defense Rooted in Unforgotten Verstappen Rivalry

Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes Lewis Hamilton’s aggressive defense against Max Verstappen during the Austrian Grand Prix demonstrated that the Ferrari driver has not forgotten their contentious shared history.

While George Russell dominated proceedings at the Red Bull Ring to convert pole position into victory, the most compelling on-track action unfolded during a heated mid-race duel between the former title protagonists.

The pair exchanged positions repeatedly in a tense, wheel-to-wheel encounter that remained clean throughout. Although Hamilton was investigated for potentially forcing Verstappen off the circuit, the stewards ultimately determined that no further action was warranted.

Speaking on F1 TV‘s post-race broadcast, Montoya observed: “I think the racing was really good. I think sometimes people forget what happened between Max and Lewis before, and Lewis doesn’t forget.

“When you’re a driver, and they run you over before, you don’t forget, and if you can give it to them, you will all the way. And that’s what we saw today. It was unbelievable. I was giggling watching that.”

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Mark Thompson / Getty Images

The intense rivalry between the two champions peaked during the extraordinary 2021 season, when Hamilton pursued a record eighth title while Verstappen chased his first. Their season-long battle produced high-profile collisions at Silverstone, Monza, and Jeddah before culminating in the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the Dutch driver claimed his maiden championship.

Since then, Verstappen has added three further titles to his tally, while Hamilton endured a difficult stretch with Mercedes under the ground-effect regulations before joining Ferrari for the 2025 campaign.

At the Austrian Grand Prix, Verstappen recovered from fifth on the grid to finish second behind Russell, while Hamilton crossed the line in fifth after starting third.

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