F1 boss sends warning to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen

Formula One championship combatants Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have been warned against ending their title fight in carnage ahead of the season decider in Abu Dhabi.

Hamilton drew level with Verstappen in the drivers standings after a highly controversial Saudi Arabian GP last weekend, in which the Red Bull driver's aggressive driving tactics were brought into question.

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A controversial incident in which Verstappen slammed on his brakes on a part of the track where drivers routinely exceed 300 kp/h saw the Dutch driver handed a 10 second penalty after the race, a sanction which did not affect the outcome of the grand prix.

It did result in yet another escalation of tension between the Mercedes and Red Bull camps, with Hamilton labelling Verstappen 'f***ing crazy' after the race and accusing his rival of brake-testing him.

Debate has raged among F1 fans and commentators as to who was more at fault, however FIA race director Michael Masi has made it clear to both drivers that any attempt to take the other out of the race by driving unnecessarily aggressively will result in a harsh punishment.

The F1 championship has been won by another driver. deliberately crashing into another several times in the sport's history.

In 1989, 1990, 1994 and 1997, the championship has been decided in the final race of the season.

Memorably, both the '89 and '90 titles were decided after championship leaders Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost came together in the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix.

Masi is determined to see this year's championship won on track, with Hamilton and Verstappen having collided several times this season.

In the race notes ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP, Masi drew particular attention to certain articles of the FIA rules, warning drivers against 'infringing the principles of fairness in competition', making specific mention of 'unsportsmanlike behaviour'.

Masi's pre-race briefing also reminded drivers of the potential penalties for such driving, including having championship points stripped.

Both had to retire from the Italian GP after the pair collided trying to catch eventual race winner, Australia's Daniel Ricciardo.

A massive crash at the British GP, followed by other incidents in the Brazilian and Hungarian GPs, had lead to an increasingly acrimonious championship race.

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Hamilton says he'll waste no time worrying if a collision with Red Bull title rival Verstappen - a man he called crazy only days ago - might end his hopes of a record eighth title.

The Mercedes driver goes into Sunday's season-ending decider in Abu Dhabi level on points with Verstappen but 9-8 behind on race wins which means the Dutchman could become champion without needing to score another point if Hamilton also draws a blank at Yas Marina.

The pair have collided on track three times already this season.

"I don't give it any energy," Hamilton told reporters after appearing alongside Verstappen in a Thursday news conference, with the championship trophy placed in between them.

"We never thought we would be neck and neck going into the last race. We've had an amazing recovery collectively as a team... we don't waste energy on things that are out of our control."

Reminded that he had labelled Verstappen 'crazy' and 'dangerous' during last Sunday's chaotic Saudi Arabian race, when he ran into the back of the suddenly slowing Red Bull, Hamilton played down those comments.

"When we are in the races we say all sorts of things," he explained.

"We are in the heat of the moment, the adrenaline is firing, your emotions are on edge...I think ultimately us racing drivers we're all a bit crazy to be able to do what we do and take the risks that we do."

Asked if he trusted Verstappen to race fairly, Hamilton swerved.

"At the end of the day, I do believe everyone here racing comes to win," he said.

"I would like to believe everyone wants to do it in the right way, so I don't even let that creep into my mind."

Hamilton said Sunday's race was taking the team into 'unmarked territory', with Mercedes hoping to become the first to win eight successive constructors' championships, but it also felt similar to the past.

"At the moment it just feels like another championship for me," he said.

"I don't look at it as a multiple. I always look at every season and every year as if you start from Ground Zero. You're the hunter and you're fighting from the moment you start training.

"I don't consider myself the champion that year. I consider myself the one that's fighting for the championship."

With AAP

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