System 1 press convention host Tom Clarkson has revealed that Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen ‘couldn’t take a look at one another’ earlier than their title decider.
Again in 2021, the world championship combat went right down to the wire, with Hamilton and Verstappen heading into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix stage on factors.
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Hamilton led for almost all of the race, however Verstappen ended up successful his maiden title underneath extraordinarily controversial circumstances.
Whereas following the security automotive, race director Michael Masi allowed solely the lapped vehicles between Hamilton and Verstappen to unlap themselves.
Which in flip, gave Verstappen a free run at overtaking Hamilton with a lot brisker tyres.
Tom Clarkson on the ‘stress’ between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen earlier than 2021 title decider
Talking not too long ago on , F1’s press convention host, Tom Clarkson, claimed that Hamilton and Verstappen wouldn’t take a look at one another on media day earlier than the title decider.
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He defined that each drivers have been simply trying straight forward throughout the press convention, and there was an air of stress within the room.
Clarkson stated: “Abu Dhabi 2021, so this was nonetheless within the COVID period, the drivers, I needed to do all 20 drivers, they got here in two by two, sort of Noah’s Ark, in they arrive.
“The final two to return into the room, it’s the Thursday earlier than the season deciding, title deciding Grand Prix, Max, Lewis, we put the driving force’s championship trophy between them.
“You might really feel the strain. It’s actually fascinating, isn’t it? This turned out to be Max’s first world championship, however the serial winners are the actual opponents, and Lewis Hamilton is the last word competitor, very carefully adopted by Max Verstappen.”
Photograph by Antonin Vincent – Pool/Getty Photos
He continued: “So, you’ve acquired these two phenomenal sportsmen simply sat there, monosyllabic, I used to be the one one within the room. There have been no different media due to COVID. It was such a privileged place.
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“They couldn’t take a look at one another; they have been sporting masks due to COVID, and so they have been simply trying straight forward. And we ended up with that phenomenal Sunday night race the place Max acquired his first championship.”
Since that controversial evening in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen went on to win three extra world titles, with Hamilton nonetheless caught on seven after a troublesome few years with the bottom impact vehicles.
Nevertheless, in 2026, Hamilton appears rejuvenated as Ferrari’s SF-26 proves to be a a lot better automotive than final yr’s. In the meantime, Verstappen has threatened to stroll away from F1 because of the sport’s new laws.
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