Former Red Bull driver David Coulthard thinks the generational talent and 2021 champion Max Verstappen got into Lewis Hamilton’s head.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton had an intense series of battles to decide the 2021 championship. In the end, the Dutchman manages to grab the title, though there were controversial events in between.
But right now, the 24-year-old is the official world champion. Hamilton, who remained the undisputed champion since the end of his duel with Nico Rosberg has finally been dethroned.
The fight between the two individuals was hectic and pressurizing, and David Coulthard thinks that it has resulted in Verstappen getting into Hamilton’s head.
“He’s an exceptional human, an exceptional athlete,” Coulthard said about Verstappen in an interview with Channel 4 television. “He’s brilliant and divisive.”
“Who else do we know that’s brilliant and divisive? Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, to name but a few, have been able to do it. [Against] the might of Mercedes and Lewis, Max has had to arguably come with a different approach. His approach is: whenever there is a door partially open, he’ll go for it.”
“Lewis has to keep opening up the door because he knows [Max] is coming, and that’s got in the psyche of Lewis. In fairness to Lewis he’s been able to win an amazing amount of championships in a very clean way,” Coulthard continued. “He hasn’t really had too much controversy.”
Also read: Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto on Max Verstappen’s World Championship win in Abu Dhabi
Max Verstappen raised like that
Coulthard further finds sense in the strong mindset of Verstappen. He believes that the tough training by Verstappen’s father Jos Verstappen has instilled a “fear nobody” attitude in the Red Bull sensation.
The stats behind a #SimplyLovely season for @Max33Verstappen 👑🔢pic.twitter.com/m14BkgqQCL
— Red Bull Racing Honda (@redbullracing) December 28, 2021
“Max has had to fight for it and has been a winner all the way through, skipping some of the lower formulas to come into F1,” he explained. “He fears nobody. That’s not a part of his psyche. ”
“The thing that I find most impressive is that if there’s a gap, he goes for it. There’s not even a doubt. When I was racing I used to weigh up, ‘Should I risk it now, should I not risk it?’ He just goes for it. It really is quite special.”
Also read: Four time world champion sympathises with Lewis Hamilton’s loss but sides with Max Verstappen
