Max Verstappen has opened up on the relationship he shares with Lewis Hamilton after the duo had a fierce battle for the championship in 2021.
The 2021 season was one of the most entertaining title fights because of how close the margins were between the Dutchman and the Briton. Moreover, what made the season more enthralling were the several controversies that took place over the entire campaign.
The championship was eventually decided at the season finale in Abu Dhabi, with the two title protagonists entering the race level on points. Verstappen won the race and beat Hamilton by just eight points to win his maiden championship. The 25-year-old also won the title last year to increase his number of championships won to two.
‘We don’t have a difficult relationship’: Verstappen on Hamilton
Although all the heated exchanges Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton had both on and off the track in the 2021 season, the Dutchman has insisted that the two do not share a ‘difficult relationship’.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, the 25-year-old labelled Hamilton as ‘one of the greatest drivers ever’. Verstappen added that he had immense respect for the Briton as the 38-year-old has ‘stood up whenever he needed to and made the difference (each time)’.
When speaking about what makes Hamilton great, the Red Bull Racing driver said it is his ‘consistency’. However, Verstappen did admit that since the two are very different, they perhaps do not share as close of a bond with each other as he does with some of the other drivers on the grid.
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Max Verstappen makes the perfect start to the 2023 campaign
Max Verstappen made the perfect start to his title defence as he dominated the season opener in Bahrain. After grabbing pole position during qualifying, he led every lap and won the race by over 10 seconds.
As for Red Bull Racing, they clinched an outstanding 1-2, with Sergio Perez finishing second. The dominance of the Milton Keynes outfit was such that it seemed it would be very difficult for any of the other teams to beat them this season.
Verstappen and Red Bull Racing will now hope to carry on this momentum to the next race in Saudi Arabia, which will take place from March 17-19 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
Also Read: Lewis Hamilton Claims FIA Spoiled Everything Mercedes Star Worked for In Recent Past
