Ex-Formula One star Jacques Villeneuve has urged Red Bull's Max Verstappen to temper his aggressive approach, claiming the teenage driver is "going to kill someone".
Verstappen was at the centre of a controversial incident during the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, colliding with Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel off the line at Spa-Francorchamps, the 18-year-old drawing blame from the Ferrari duo.
READ: > 'Raikkonen and Vettel should be ashamed' says Verstappen
The flashpoint, followed by further contact between Verstappen and Raikkonen later in the race, prompted a war of words between the young Dutch-Belgian newcomer and the pair of former world champions.
None of the drivers were investigated by stewards, leading Villeneuve - the 1997 world champion - to suggest Verstappen is receiving preferential treatment from the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
"The issue is the FIA, because it looks like he's got protection," Villeneuve told Motorsport.com.
"They want him to be a star.
"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."
The early clash between Verstappen's Red Bull and the two Ferraris came after the home favourite, who qualified second behind Nico Rosberg, failed to make the most of his position on the front row of the grid.
"Mostly if you had a bad start, just accept it," Villeneuve said.
"But that is not what's bad. It's after that, he complains about other drivers: 'They destroyed my race'.
"Relax, relax. You know you took a big risk and it did not pay off. You destroyed their race and you destroyed your own race. That's fine. That's life. But what he did afterwards that's not acceptable. What he did to Kimi twice on the straight, and to Vettel as well. Just calm down. You're going to kill someone," added Villeneuve.
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