MAX VERSTAPPEN and Lewis Hamilton went toe-to-toe in one of the all-time great title races last season, but they haven’t shared a word since the controversial finale in December.
Max Verstappen has admitted that he has made no attempt to contact Lewis Hamilton since beating the Briton to the Formula 1 drivers’ title in December. The two racers have not spoken since the Red Bull racer pipped his rival to the chequered flag in the controversial Abu Dhabi finale.
That revelation may not come as much of a surprise, considering there was little love lost between them at times last year.
There were several high-profile incidents involving the two racers as they gave their all to come out on top in their epic title tussle.
After a collision at Silverstone which sent Verstappen flying off the track and into the barrier and other flashpoints, the most notable came at Monza.
That moment, when one daring battle too many saw both drivers crash out of the race, was the real signal that the gloves were off.
More incidents came, including another moment when they made contact in Saudi Arabia – after which Hamilton referred to the Dutchman as one of the most “over the line” racers he had ever come across.
And then, of course, the final act, as Verstappen benefitted from race director Michael Masi’s debatable decisions to overtake on the last lap and become the world champion.
Asked in an interview with the Daily Mail at testing in Barcelona last week if he had been in touch with Hamilton in the more than two months since, Verstappen simply replied: “No. There is no reason to.
“Some people just look at that race because of the tension building up around it and think the outcome was wrong.
“But if you look at the year, the title would normally have been decided way earlier. It is just that I was taken out twice and had some bad luck with tyre blowouts.
“It came down to the last race because of all that misfortune. And look at the stats. That usually gives you a picture of how the season went.
“I can understand with how Abu Dhabi played out that [Hamilton] was upset and not happy with it but, as I say, you have to look at the championship in general.
“It was a crazy and epic season. I don’t care if people try to take the shine off it. It doesn’t matter. The losing side always will complain, but the winning side think about it differently.”
Winning his first single-seater world title will have been a huge weight off Verstappen’s shoulders.
But it hasn’t lessened his desire to add more silverware to an already impressive collection, even if he admits there is now less pressure on him.
“I will always want to win, but the desperate ‘must win’ is gone. It doesn’t mean I am less motivated. I have the same level of motivation, maybe more, to do it again.
“It feels nice. It is a relaxation. There is less of a rush. I was already in my seventh season. I had never really had a shot at the title before. I had my first chance and, of course, I wanted desperately to do it.
“Winning a championship is one of those things that doesn’t happen often. It may never happen again, who knows?”
Credit: Daily Express,CN,Daily Mail,Getty
