Max Verstappen has received immense backing from a two-time Formula 1 world champion over Red Bull's treatment and strategies.
During the Spanish Grand Prix, the team decided to bring the Dutch racer into the pits under a late safety car with only a set of hard tyres remaining.
Max failed to control the tyres when the race restarted, which led him to fall behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and caused the highly talked-about clash with George Russell's Mercedes.
Former McLaren star Mika Hakkinen gave his honest thoughts about the GP on the Drive to Wynn podcast.
Referring to the radio conversion of Max where he asked his team which tyre he was on, Mika noted, "I was really surprised about the question."
The two-time champion added, "Normally, the driver knows exactly what tyres he has and the condition of the tyres when they're going to put them on the car during a race."
Following the race, Max also admitted on his social media account that the tyre decision had caused frustration, which led to him ramming his car into George's.
Max Verstappen one step away from being banned from race
Moreover, the 27-year-old driver will be entering the Canadian Grand Prix weekend with only one penalty point away from triggering an automatic F1 ban.
Only one F1 driver, Kevin Magnussen last year, has ever been banned under the current penalty points system, which prohibits racers from collecting 12 points in a year.
