For the first time in Formula One’s history, two drivers fighting for the Championship entered the last round with exactly the same number of points (369.5). In the end, it was Max Verstappen who emerged victorious, earning his first ever World Championship. Fast forward to the 2022 season, Lewis Hamilton finished sixth in the Drivers’ standings while Max Verstappen had already sealed the Championship title with four races remaining.
Both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are inarguably two of the most prolific Formula One drivers to have existed, and F1 fans around the world have been aching to see them go head to head again since the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP. Verstappen seems to have been having his best time after dominating the 2023 season so far, however, the Dutch driver missed out on yet another Pole position by a mere 0.003 seconds after Hamilton went fastest in Q3 at the Hungarian Grand Prix Qualifying.
While Red Bull’s pace has been unmatched this season, other teams seem to getting better with some new upgrades, including Mercedes and McLaren. It will be interesting to see how long Hamilton can keep Verstappen in his rear-view mirror. The seven-time World Champion hasn’t tasted victory since the 2021 season. “I mean we are still second, but I think we should be ahead with the car we have normally,” said Verstappen after the Qualifying yesterday.
Ferrari 296 GTB Review: Hybrid and a V6 but a true Ferrari? | TOI Auto
While fans would love to see some dogfight between the two, Max might not need to be as hostile as he already has a clear lead in the Drivers’ standings, and also has the faster car to eventually win the race. However, considering the Dutch driver’s generally aggressive driving style, there could even be a chance of the two ending up in an accident – something we have already seen before a couple of times in the previous seasons.
Who do you think will have a better launch and exit the first corner ahead, Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen? Let us know in the comments down below.