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Lewis Hamilton took a thinly-veiled swipe at old rival Max Verstappen’s Hungarian GP radio outbursts, as the Mercedes driver also expressed his surprise at the stewards’ verdict on the pair’s collision in the same race.

​​​​​​Hamilton and Verstappen collided while battling over third place in the closing stages last Sunday at the Hungaroring in a race which the Red Bull driver, who eventually dropped back to fifth after the clash, repeatedly expressed his frustration and anger at his team’s strategy and his car’s performance over the radio.

During Mercedes’ Thursday media conference ahead of this weekend’s Belgian GP, Hamilton was asked how a fellow world champion such as Verstappen should cope with a mid-season dip in form from his car, which reigning champions Red Bull are currently experiencing.

“You have to be a team leader, a team member,” replied Hamilton.

“Maybe not such a team leader, just always remember you are a team-mate with lots of people and you have to act like a world champion.”

Asked to elaborate on that latter point, Hamilton replied: “That is a good question… Not like it was last weekend.”

Verstappen on Thursday defended his radio conduct, insisting it was “nothing personal” against anyone he works with at Red Bull and that the honest remarks worked for him and the reigning world champions.

“People that don’t like my language, don’t listen in or change the volume down. I’m very driven to succeed. I’ve proven that already,” said Verstappen.

“I always want to optimise stuff. People can argue that you might not be so vocal on the radio, but that’s their opinion.”

He added: “We are very open-minded. We are very critical of each other as a team, and that’s been working for us very well, so I don’t expect that to change.”

Hamilton ‘very surprised’ by stewards’ Verstappen clash view

Hamilton, meanwhile, took issue with the Budapest stewards’ interpretation of his collision with Verstappen.

Although neither driver was predominantly found at fault for a clash which Hamilton himself had already said was a “racing incident”, meaning no penalty was issued, the stewards did still suggest the seven-time world champion “could have done more to avoid the collision”.

“I was really, really surprised by it,” said the Mercedes driver of the full stewards’ judgement, which was issued several hours after the end of the race.

“I think already I was very relaxed about the situation and just saying ‘look, it’s just a racing incident, let’s just move on’.

“But considering one car was in control and one car was not in control at the time – obviously when all the wheels are locked, you’re not in control – and if you look at the replay at the end of the move I’m very, very far from the apex, so there’s a lot of room on the right-hand side.

“So I was very, very surprised by the stewards. I don’t know who typed it up but… that will be a question when I speak to them at some stage.”

Mercedes drivers ‘excited’ by latest car upgrades for Spa

Although Mercedes did not have to speed around the hotter and more twisty Hungaroring to repeat their front-running form from the race before at Silverstone, which Hamilton won, the Briton’s third-place finish did still extend their podium run to five consecutive races.

The former champions continue to push forward with car upgrades on the improving W15, which Sky Sports understands will feature a new front wing, floor and beam wing at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend – the final round before F1’s summer break.

Hamilton has now recorded a podium at three of the last four events, having previously gone a career-worst 12 races without a top-three finish, and the 39-year-old said on Thursday: “I feel great. I don’t feel older than George [who is 26]!

“I still feel so much youth, am energised, driven and love working with the team.

“We have got some upgrades this weekend, so I can’t wait to see how that feels on the track. Hopefully it’s another step in the right direction and I’m excited for the next part of the season.”

Russell, who won in Austria after the Verstappen-Lando Norris collision but retired from Silverstone with a water leak and then finished only eighth following a poor qualifying in Hungary, said: “Budapest confirmed that we perform better in the cooler conditions than the hotter races.

“Going into Spa, I think there’s some rain, we have some upgrades, which is really exciting to see if that can take us another step, after what we brought to Canada a few races ago and we want to take the fight to McLaren and Red Bull.

“That’s what F1 is about. We want to be in that fight.”

Sky Sports F1’s live Belgian GP schedule

Friday July 26
8.50am: F3 Practice
10am: F2 Practice
12pm: Belgian GP Practice One (session starts at 12.30pm)
2pm: F3 Qualifying
2.55pm: F2 Qualifying
3.45pm: Belgian GP Practice Two (session starts at 4pm)
5:15pm: The F1 Show

Saturday July 27
8:45am: F3 Sprint
11.15am: Belgian GP Practice Three (session starts at 11.30am)
1.10pm: F2 Sprint
2.15pm: Belgian GP Qualifying build-up
3pm: Belgian GP Qualifying
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday July 28
7:25am: F3 Feature Race
8.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.40am: Porsche Supercup
12:30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – Belgian GP build-up*
2pm: The BELGIAN GRAND PRIX*
4pm: Chequered Flag: Belgian GP reaction
5pm: Ted’s Notebook

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

The Formula 1 action continues this weekend with the final race before F1’s summer break, the Belgian Grand Prix. You can watch every session from Spa-Francorchamps live on Sky Sports F1. Stream every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime