Bernie Ecclestone has said that Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff are not 'playing fair' with Max Verstappen as we head to the title showdown in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
The F1 title race has been a simply fantastic thing to behold this year; revitalising ardent fans' love for the sport and bringing in new sets of eyes to screens and new sets of bums on seats.
It's been enthralling, gripping action and, with Saudi a prime example, a year fraught with drama and controversy that's added even more flavour to this perfect motorsport recipe.
Our two protagonists go into the final race level on points after a superb resurgence from Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes, too, but former F1 supremo Ecclestone thinks that that side of the title fight has perhaps not always played fair in recent weeks:
"Max is a kid compared to Lewis and the worst thing is Lewis has a massive publicity campaign working for him," Ecclestone told AFP.
"They have been pushing down all the time on Max and then the race directors have been looking in because Toto goes to the race director.
"Max has more than a race to confront as he has them too on his back because they are bullying him and not playing fair.
"It is psychological game playing."
"Max has had a few years of racing but has not had years in the streets like Lewis," said Ecclestone.
"It has built character and knowing he would win the race with Mercedes being the dominant force over the past few years has made him a much stronger character than Max.
"For Max, this season is the first one he has had a car capable of winning regularly whereas before it was nothing like competitive."
Of course, Verstappen has courted his own criticism for his approach to racing at times this year, particularly in the last few weeks, and it's just clear both men are totally and utterly determined to take this championship.
Who wins out? We'll soon find out.
