Verstappen started o🐲n pole position ahead of Leclerc for Saturday’s sprintဣ race and robustly defended against the Ferrari driver to maintain position at the start. 

The triple world champion moved aggressively to💜 cover the inside line, almost pushing Leclerc off the track in the process as he retained the lead at Turn 1. 

1997 world champion Villeneuve described Verstappen’s defence as bein🌺g “too much” an📖d felt it should have been looked at by the Austin stewards. 

“Leclerc was pusheᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚd off the track, it’s to🐠o much,” he told F1 TV. “It wasn’t necessary.

“I don’t understand why the first lap should be evaluated differently, a dirty manoeuvre or pushing a car to the limits of the track are things that should be investigate🎉d.”

However,💎 Leclerc insisted he had no complaints over Verstap﷽pen’s defending and said he “would have done exactly the same” if things were the other way around. 

“To be honest, I would have done exactly the s🏅ame if I was in his position,” the Monegasque said. 

“It’🤪s on the limit, but as I’ve always said in the past, that’s the way I like to fight. So this today didn’t play in my way, but that’s fine. ♊It’s part of racing and I’m happy with it.”