Leaving F1 Fans With Awkward – Lewis Hamilton Snubs Rival Max Verstappen With Dramatic Exit From F1 Cooldown Room

A cooldown room is a place for some friendly chatter between drivers after the race is over; although, it is usually followed by palpable tension. This Austrian GP cooldown room saw this hostility between the rivals Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

Hamilton entered the room after the race where the Dutchman was already present. The Mercedes driver went through the procedure of weighing himself. He then put his helmet down and walked out only throwing Verstappen a quick glance in his direction. Trying to find a reason to scurry away, Verstappen was left to ponder alone.

The duo was locked in an intense battle last season. Their rivalry peaked in the final round of the 2021 season. The animosity between the two was clearly still there as the off-track fire still prevails from either camp.

Twitter reacts to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s cooldown room interaction
A time for drivers to engage in some easygoing conversations, reflecting on the race gone by, the cooldown room rarely sees such steely encounters. However, at this Austrian GP, there was no communication; only silence. The interaction between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, or lack thereof, had fans reacting to it on the internet.

Although the interaction was awkward, it gave the fans something to laugh at.

In the meantime, Verstappen comfortably leads the drivers’ championship. He has twice the number of points as Hamilton this season, at 208. Verstappen is also 38 points ahead of his current rival, Charles Leclerc, who is trailing behind in P2. The next race in France provides him another chance of extending his lead atop the driver’s standings, or a chance for the challenger in red to catch up.