Max Verstappen says he isn’t listening to “those individuals”, following criticism from 1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill after Mexico.

Following on from a contentious race in Mexico in which Verstappen picked up two 10-second time penalties for his tactics in battle with title rival Lando Norris, Damon Hill made some pointed comments about the reigning World Champion.

Damon Hill: Max Verstappen ‘incapable of fair racing’

Having served his penalties, Verstappen came home in sixth place while Norris finished second – resulting in a 10-point swing in the McLaren driver’s favour with four race weekends to go.

Appearing on the Sky F1 podcast between the Mexican and Brazilian rounds of the triple-header, 1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill was cutting in his criticism of Verstappen, saying he believes fair racing is not “in his repertoire”.

“The problem that Max has is he simply refuses to concede any turf at all, to anyone, in an overtake. So that’s the situation,” he said.

Analysing the Turn 4 incident, the first moment for which Verstappen picked up a 10-second penalty, Hill said: “On the exit of Turn 4, he clearly makes a beeline for the edge of the track to prevent Lando from having any chance at all.

“The aerial footage is very clear to me, he made no attempt to back off and make the corner and leave room for Lando. It was just simply a case of: ‘You’re not coming through.’

“It is possible to race fairly and that is something I’m not sure that Max is capable of – it’s not in his repertoire. It’s not in his philosophy. His philosophy is that ‘You’re not coming past.’”

Max Verstappen: I know what I’m doing

Appearing before the media at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Verstappen was asked about Hill’s assertion that fair racing is not an aim of his while on track.

A clearly unimpressed Verstappen said: “I don’t listen to those individuals. I just do my own thing.

“I’m a three-time world champion. I think I know what I’m doing.

“Honestly like, I have my opinions. I don’t need to share them.”

Verstappen has come in for significant criticism from the likes of Hill and former F1 racer turned FIA steward Johnny Herbert, with the current situation leading to an uncomfortable war of words between English-language media and Dutch.

Verstappen was asked about who he turns to for support and whose opinions he listens to and respects, with the Dutch driver declining to name anyone.

“I know – that’s the most important,” he said.

“Some people are just a bit biased. I mean, I get it, it’s fine, but it’s not my problem at the end of the day. I just continue with my life, and I keep performing.”

Verstappen’s close circle includes his father Jos, manager Raymond Vermeulen, and long-term girlfriend Kelly Piquet – daughter of three-time F1 World Champion Nelson Piquet.

Asked to detail again whose opinions are of value to him, Verstappen said: “People who are objective and close to me and not just there to stir…  I can’t say the word because I’ll probably get another [punishment].

“Apparently it only counts for me anyway, because after the race in Mexico, someone [Charles Leclerc – editor] was swearing. I didn’t hear anything from it, so it’s better I don’t swear again!

“But yeah, some people are just being very annoying. I know who these people are.

“I don’t really pay a lot of attention to them anyway, and I think I’ve got to this stage in my career with the right people supporting me and making my own decisions. So I think I know what I’m doing.

“There are many, but there’s no need to name them right here. I just trust the people around me who are honest with me and who have a good heart who mean well, and are not just there to just stir some kind of… stuff, that’s how I’ll name it.”

Asked if his World Champion ‘father-in-law’ is one of the people he seeks out for advice, Verstappen said: “We don’t really talk about Formula 1 too much. I don’t think he wants to. I don’t think I want to. We talk about other stuff in life, which is way more important anyway.”