Max Verstappen blasts 'football fans' taking over F1 as he pleads for Lewis Hamilton

Max Verstappen has asked F1 spectators not to react like football fans after a series of hostile atmospheres in recent weeks. The Dutchman was booed at Silverstone and the Orange Army did the same to Lewis Hamilton at the Red Bull Ring last time out, with Verstappen urging those in attendance to enjoy the battles on the track.

Tensions between the stars' respective fans have clearly not yet died down after a thrilling battle between Verstappen and Hamilton last year. The row was also contested by Mercedes and Red Bull bosses Toto Wolff and Christian Horner amid a dramatic Grand Prix streak to close the season.

It all came down to the final lap of the final race in Abu Dhabi, where Verstappen made a last-minute overtake with help from FIA race director Michael Masi. The pair then shook hands, but controversy raged throughout the summer after what was one of the most intense battles in sports history.

British fans made their feelings known at Silverstone earlier this month, drowning out Verstappen interviews with a chorus of boos. Hamilton received the same treatment in Austria the following weekend as cheers erupted when he slammed into the barriers during qualifying.

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"First of all: in each country, the fans in the grandstand decide the atmosphere," Verstappen told F1-Insider. "It's the fans that we consciously perceive, very strongly. I think on other parts of the track there's always a healthy mix between the individual fan groups.

"Basically, I think it's a shame that the fans react like football fans. They always boo the opponent. In the Netherlands they boo Lewis, in England me. I think it's Too bad because we often fight very hard, quality fights. You have to respect your opponent.

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"I'm a PSV fan. But when I watch a great football game, I enjoy it whether my team wins or loses. It would be nice if the behavior of the fans in our sport was the same. And that , despite all the rivalry, opponents are also treated with respect."

While there may be ongoing tensions between Hamilton and Verstappen, the latter's main focus this season has been to stay ahead of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez and Ferrari star Charles Leclerc. Mercedes' long battle with porpoising left them behind until recently, with Hamilton 99 points behind the championship leaders at the halfway mark of the year.

Verstappen boasts a solid 38-point buffer at the top, but Ferrari and Leclerc have shown they have the pace to close the gap if they can avoid reliability issues. In Austria, Carlos Sainz had to abandon the race after his car caught fire and Leclerc treated his in the final laps due to a problem with the accelerator pedal.

Even so, Horner maintains that Red Bull is focused on its own performance rather than looking over its shoulders. “We cannot control or contribute to this in any way,” he said. "I think we have to focus on ourselves and make the most of our own package. They had a very strong car [in Austria] and they could have finished first and second."