Former world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes the stewards lenient approach to Max Verstappen's on-track antics gives the impression to outsiders that he is receiving special treatment from the governing body.
The Red Bull driver has been involved in some questionable moves this season, and whilst many have been applauded, others have been criticised for being dangerous and without thought for other drivers safety.
The most recent example, where he defended from Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen at Spa, making a last-second move to cover off the inside, garnered fierce criticism from drivers and even team bosses, with Mercedes' chief Toto Wolff describing his racing as "refreshing but dangerous", whilst Raikkonen called it "not right".
Villeneuve agrees and believes many of Verstappen's moves have warranted some form of investigation by the stewards.
"The issue is the FIA, because it looks like he's got protection," the Canadian racer told Motorsport. "They want him to be a star.
"Look in Germany. He weaved on the straight, so Nico [Rosberg] missed his braking [point]. They go a bit wide – Nico gets a penalty. For something even less than… and it wasn't even his [Rosberg's] fault.
"So there is something that is wrong. I don't know. It's something that makes me angry, but that's just the way it is. Twenty years ago someone would have put him in a tree."
When asked if he believed Verstappen would calm down eventually, he replied: "Of course not. Why? Every race he is worse."
Discussion about this post