“He targets me because of my 7 championship” – Lewis Hamilton feels Max Verstappen is more aggressive with him because of his success

Controversy unravelled at Interlagos when Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen collided in the 2022 Brazilian GP. Hamilton tried to overtake Max on the inside of turn 2, but the Red Bull driver squeezed in the gap, resulting in a collision.

Both suffered damage but the Mercedes driver managed to pull through, securing P2 in Mercedes’ first win of the year. While Max received a 5-second time penalty and could only muster a poor P6.

Max was quite upset with the penalty and believed Hamilton’s move caused the incident in the first place. He claimed that Lewis had no intention to leave space.

 

Hamilton however shrugged off the remarks by his 2021 title rival saying, “You know how it is with Max!” But the Briton claims his success in F1 is why Verstappen is often more aggressive with him than others.

Hamilton said, “I think it’s natural when you have the success and the numbers on your chest that you become a bit of a target. But it’s okay, it’s nothing I have not dealt with before.”

Also Read: “Lewis Hamilton did not leave me space” – Max Verstappen blames 103 GP winner for Brazil GP collision

Why Max Verstappen targets Lewis?

Max Verstappen is one of the most aggressive drivers in the current F1 grid. But when Lewis Hamilton is the one he is racing with, the Dutchman seems to be more competitive in the battle.

The two fought plenty of on-track battles during the 2021 title chase that Verstappen won. But the moments in Silverstone, Monza, Interlagos, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi highlighted Max’s ruthlessness.

Lewis said Max and him have never shared a bond as such in the past.”We never had an in-depth conversation. The only one we had was in Austria in 2020 when I explained to him what Black Lives Matter is, what it is we are fighting for and would mean to me. It didn’t make a difference.”

Lewis does feel like Max targets him because he is the more successful racer and the one to beat. Something Lewis himself accepted from his past on-track battles with rivals.

“When I got to the sport your target is naturally the guy who has the most championships. It was Fernando and Kimi and there was Seb. So yeah, I think that’s true.”

Also Read: “You know how it is with Max Verstappen”: Lewis Hamilton’s cold reply to Red Bull star’s aggressive shunt at 2022 Sao Paolo GP

Lewis Hamilton over 2021 Abu Dhabi Heartbreak

Lewis Hamilton will be returning to Abu Dhabi for the first time since the previous year’s debacle. The Briton least chance to claim his 8th World Championship after the controversial ruling of Michael Masi.

But Lewis claims he is over the trauma from last season, “I don’t look in the past and try and think of what I could have done better”

After Mercedes triumphed in Brazil, hopes have been boosted in Mercedes’s garage. And Lewis belives the silver arrows will be back to challenge for the title in 2023.

the 103 race winner will be looking for his first win of the 2021 season. Hamilton has won a race in each of the 16 seasons he has raced in so far.

Also Read: Former F1 World Champion says Max Verstappen was not at fault for colliding with Mercedes ace