Mar.17 (GMM) Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg have denied that their feud is still simmering.
In the newly released Netflix docuseries, Magnussen – who famously told Hulkenberg to “suck my b*lls” in 2017 – is depicted as still prioritising his rivalry with the German.
“I haven’t seen it yet, but I can say that Hulkenberg and me is a closed chapter,” he told Ekstra Bladet newspaper.
“There is no special relationship between us. I would never think of focusing specifically on one driver. And I respect Hulkenberg! A lot. In fact, I think he is a really good racing driver,” the Haas driver added.
Hulkenberg agrees that the Netflix documentary makers “exaggerated” the rivalry.
“It’s just the usual competition we have in formula one,” he said. “They probably exaggerate a bit and try to sell it more, but generally I think it was well made.
“They’ve made it with sort of movie-like characters, and for insiders some of the scenes are a bit ‘hmm’. The reality is not quite as dramatic,” said the Renault driver.
Christian Horner and Cyril Abiteboul also hit back at the way their rivalry was depicted in the series.
“I think there may be a fight, maybe between Cyril and Toto this season,” Red Bull boss Horner smiled in Melbourne.
Renault’s Abiteboul said: “Did I like everything that I saw in it? No. I think it’s important to have some formal disclaimer that although it’s unscripted, it’s a bit of fiction also.”