Max Verstappen has been overwhelmingly backed to retain his Formula One Drivers’ Championship title if fierce rival Lewis Hamilton retires from the sport. Rumours have suggested that Hamilton may sensationally quit F1 ahead of the 2022 season.
The Mercedes driver was involved in an incredible 2021 finale, in which he was controversially pipped to the world title by Verstappen.
Hamilton had led for the majority of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix having gone into the race level on points with the Dutchman.
But a contentious FIA decision to begin the final lap from the start line following the deployment of a safety car, allowing Verstappen to unlap himself and get right behind Hamilton despite having had five lapped cars between them, turned the race in Verstappen’s favour.
The Red Bull driver overtook Hamilton softer tyres and won his first world championship.
Hamilton has remained silent since returning from Abu Dhabi. His absence of a public profile in the last month has prompted suggestions that he could retire.
The 37-year-old needs one more title to move onto a world-record eight but he could choose to quit ahead of the 2022 season, which begins in March.
Should Hamilton walk away from F1, attention will turn to who will dominate the sport in the years to come.
An exclusive Express Sport poll has found that fans think Verstappen will retain his world championship if Hamilton does not compete.
A staggering 49 per cent of voters think the 24-year-old will see off competition from Mercedes new boy George Russell, if there’s no Hamilton.
Russell has taken Valtteri Bottas’ seat ahead of 2022 and has frequently spoken of his excitement at driving alongside his fellow Briton.
However, the 23-year-old moves into second-favourite to win the world championship in the event that Hamilton quits.
Twenty-nine per cent of voters think Russell could beat Verstappen in his first season as a Mercedes driver.
Hamilton’s potential replacement – whoever that may be – has been backed by eight per cent of Express Sport readers.
Lando Norris came in fourth place with five per cent. Ferrari pairing Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz shared four per-cent each.
Fans initially thought Hamilton had broken his silence when a video of him and new team-mate Russell was shared to social media app Weibo. The pair wished a happy Chinese New Year to supporters.
However, it has since emerged that the clip was filmed prior to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Hamilton is yet to post to his Twitter or Instagram accounts since the race and is thought to be waiting on an FIA investigation into what happened before he determines whether he will continue racing or walk away.
Credit: Express.co.uk
