The hostilities between the two drivers who aspire to be crowned world champions in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, led to several clashes between the two at the Jeddah circuit, with a final touch as the culmination.
The 2021 Formula 1 season will remain etched in the retinas from many of the premier-class motorsport fans, both those who have been closely following the sport for years and those who have recently taken an interest in it, and there are two drivers who are to blame for it: Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen .
Red Bull has emerged this year as a real threat to the almighty Mercedes that has dominated the ‘Great Circus’ since the hybrid era kicked off back in 2014, with the young Dutch driver as the first sword with which to threaten what seemed like the imminent eighth title of Hamilton, and the battles on the track have been accompanied by as many off the track.
The tension between Toto Wolff and Christian Horner is a clear example of this. However, everything that happened in the first Saudi Arabian GP in history has blown up any established script: 2 highlights on the grid in which the hostilities between both candidates for the title exceeded any usual limits and accusations of brake testing, braking on purpose to cause an accident, which have taken this struggle, once again, to another level.
Aggressive rookie
«It has been quite a hectic race … many things have happenedVerstappen mused aloud as soon as he got out of his car. The boos from the crowd deafened both his statements and those of Hamilton, evidencing the lively controversy that will continue due to the pending investigations.
«I do not entirely agree with them, But that’s what there is. I tried to give it my all on the track, I don’t know if the tires were going to last until the end. We did well until the end of the first stint, we were missing some rubber at the end, but … still second. I slowed down, wanted to let him pass. I stayed to the right, he did not overtake me and we touched. I don’t quite understand what happened there, ”Verstappen explained.
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In Abu Dhabi, both Hamilton and Verstappen will arrive with the same number of points, so the one that gets the best result will end up taking the cat into the water. “It is what we have decided, I hope we have a good weekend, we will see,” added # 33.
“Fortunately, the fans are clear-minded on this racing thing, because what happened today is incredible. I’m just trying to run, this sport is more about penalties than racing; for me this is not Formula 1. At least the fans have enjoyed it, I have given it my all today, but it is clear that I was not fast enough, although I am happy with second place, “he reported on the radio when he was informed that he had been named rider of the day.
Experience per flag
For his part, Hamilton wielded that the years he has been at the wheel in Formula 1 have served him to apply a caution that has prevailed on the track, spoiling the performance of his rival. I’ve been running for a long time, but this has undoubtedly been a tough race“, he claimed.
“I tried to be sensible out there, and with all my experience over the years, I wanted to keep the car on track and to be clean. It has been difficult, but we have persevered as a team. Many things have happened to us in this second half of the season, I am very proud of the team, “continued Hamilton.
“He braked very hard all of a sudden and I ended up on top of him. Then he continued, I don’t understand what happened »
«I didn’t quite understand … he braked very hard all of a sudden and I ended up on top of him. Then he continued, I don’t understand what happened; I got a message later saying that he was going to let us pass, so it was a bit confusing. They have a lot of pace, they were very fast and it was very difficult to overtake them here. However, we have done a great job with what we have, “he continued.
«Max was trying to let me pass before the DRS zone and then use the DRS himself, but I’m not stupid», # 44 pointed out in subsequent statements once he analyzed a little more what happened.