Verstappen can't stop fans booing, but tells Hamilton 'don't listen'

Max Verstappen says it's inevitable that Lewis Hamilton will be booed and jeered by part of the Dutchman's supporters at Zandvoort, but the local hero urges his title rival to just 'close his ears'.

The run-in between F1's top protagonists at the British Grand Prix earlier this summer put Verstappen in harm's way, although the Dutchman was fortunately spared any physical injuries.

But the incident sparked a war of words between the Red Bull and Mercedes camps, with Verstappen not holding back on his criticism of Hamilton's maneuver or of the Mercedes team's festive post-race celebrations while he was undergoing checks at a local hospital.

The contentious comments have since died down, helped by a timely summer break. But Verstappen's Orange Army, that will make up the bulk of the numbers in the grandstands at Zandvoort, is expected to give their idol's arch-rival a hard time this weekend.

"Of course you've seen a lot of the orange fans all over," Hamilton said.

"I've never been someone that would go to an event and boo, but I understand it. You see it in football events, the passion that the fans have, or the dislike that some of them have of their opponents. But I respect it.

"I think I've always loved coming out to Holland. Amsterdam is one of the greatest cities. And I know I do have some Team LH fans in the Netherlands, which I really appreciate. They're probably a small portion in the grandstands out there, and I admire them for being able to withstand the boos too.

"But that's the sport. What I do is just try and turn that energy towards me, however you want to take it, and turn it into a positive, and try and put it into a drive."

Verstappen, who also used a football analogy, reckons he would be powerless in asking his fans to refrain from booing the current leader of the F1 world championship, even if he tried.

"I look at it like this; you go to a football match and you come to a home ground, the opposition will be booed at some point," said the Red Bull driver.

"And it's not up to the local club to go up to the speaker and say guys you cannot boo, because that will not happen.

"I'm pretty sure that most of them are here to have a great weekend and see some cars racing, and of course some of them will boo. But I cannot decide for them.

"Of course I can say you can do it or you cannot do it, but do you really think they're going to listen to me?"

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Rather than encouraging his fans to tone it down, Verstappen urged Hamilton to shut it off from his mind.

"I think what we have to try and aim for is a great weekend for everyone and I'm sure the fans will enjoy," he said. "If there would be a little bit of booing, I guess just close your ears and don't listen to it.

"At the end of the day if you don't respond, that is the most powerful message you can give to them. I think when you don't respond to someone they feel like it's not working, for me at least it works like that.

"Of course from my side as well, I want everyone to be professional about it and enjoy the racing cars, every single team, every single car, every single driver, just be happy there's a Formula 1 race back for the first time in 36 years.

"I'm sure it will be really nice to see us driving around and hopefully on Sunday we can create a good show for a lot of them."

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