Hamilton vs Verstappen

In 2021, there was one of the most thrilling and dramatic battles in f1 history.

Ever since Dutch driver Max Verstappen appeared on the F1grid with T oro Rosso in 2015,

he has had a rocky relationship with Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. Fans and drivers alike

felt a legendary rivalry was destined, but it wasn't until 2021, when Redbull produced a car

equal to the AMG, that it was inevitable.

There were glimpses of antagonism throughout races when Verstappen passed Hamilton to

win in Malaysia in 2017 or their brush in Bahrain that gave Verstappen a puncture. The build

to 2021 meant the pair had a heated history.

Lewis is 12 and a half years older than Max, so there was no doubt someone would have

had to come and knock him off the top spot soon. However, this meant Hamilton held all the

significant achievement records in F1 with the most poles and wins, and he shares the titles

with Michael Schumacher. This meant Verstappen and Hamilton were now part of a

generational battle.

Everyone can see that on the grid, the drivers have a deep-rooted dislike for each other, but

they also respect each other both on and off the track. However, many fans speculate that

they barely talk if other drivers are around. An example of this was the 2023 Australian

Grand Prix. Verstappen placed first, with Hamilton in second and Alonso taking third.

Hamilton and Verstappen say nothing to each other in the cool-down room and only speak to

Alsonso at separate times.

The 2021 season was one of the longest, with 22 races, Hamilton and Verstappen placed in

the top two spots 14 times, with the points lead changed five times. The drivers have

significantly different racing styles, with Hamilton making intelligent and safe decisions while

Verstappen is aggressive and quick with his.

The two have battled on track countless times, but the collisions at Copse corner on the first

lap of Silverstone and the first chicane during Monza was when the conflict finally came to a

head, contributing significantly to the bad blood between both the drivers and the teams.

They clashed again in Saudi Arabia, causing Verstappen to be penalised.

However, T ed Kravitz has claimed the rivalry has wholly flipped despite all this. Max and

Lewis often complement each other in recent interviews, with Max admitting that Lewis is

"one of the greatest drivers ever" and that he has respect for "what Lewis has achieved in

this sport.

"

Hamilton has also fizzled out rumours when he said,

"When we were fast, we weren't that

fast. That's the fastest car, I think, I've seen… Max is in another league… he passed me

halfway down the straight, and he was like 10 meters ahead… it's insane.

"Many believe this could be the end of the rivalry as Hamilton knows his team will struggle to

keep up with the RB19, but the respect the two drivers have for each other is becoming

increasingly apparent both on the grid and off.