Esteban Ocon has claimed Max Verstappen wanted to punch him when the pair were seen clashing in the weighing area after the Brazilian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman was furious with the Force India driver over a collision which cost him victory at Interlagos as Esteban tried to unlap himself while Max was leading.
In the radio message to his team, the 21-year-old said he hoped he didn’t meet Ocon post-race, however, he did come across the Frenchman as the drivers got weighed in parc ferme.
“I was really surprised by the behaviour of Max, afterwards, with the FIA having to intervene,” Ocon claimed. “He pushed me and wanted to punch me and that is not professional.”
The pair do have a history together through karting and in Formula 3 which he then alluded to.
“I’m used to the fights with Max. He’s always been the same. It goes back a few years,” he said.
The stewards took a very dim view of Ocon’s actions, slapping him with the harshest penalty possible without exclusion, a 10-second stop/go.
Defending his actions, however, the Mercedes junior driver insisted there was nothing to stop him from attempting the pass.
“I was behind Max for two laps,” he said. “On the first lap, I was a lot faster and on the second lap, I was a lot faster. The rules say you are allowed to unlap yourself so that’s what I did.
“I went around the outside; it was the same move I did on Alonso and on other drivers as I worked my way back up the field, but it didn’t work out the same way.”
Talking to the media, Verstappen kept his anger to a minimum, at least in terms of his language.
“We did everything today. He [Ocon] was such an idiot he gets taken out while he’s being lapped,” he said.
“I think the race was better than expected for us today. The car worked well. The strategy worked well. I’m happy with second, but we should have won today.”
