Verstappen vs Hamilton: the best title fight in several years?

After four Grand Prix races, fourteen points separate the two contenders designated for the 2021 world title. The two men are engaged in a breathless struggle, reminiscent of some memorable battles of the past.

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Rédigé par Par

Since 2014, Mercedes has remained unbeaten in the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. Lewis Hamilton only faltered once in the championship, against his teammate Nico Rosberg in 2016. The two Silver Arrows’ drivers battled it out for three seasons, leaving little for the competition.

In 2017 and 2018, Ferrari became the first team in the hybrid era to challenge the supremacy of the German machines, especially Sebastian Vettel, destined for a fate worthy of his idol, Michael Schumacher. The four-time world champion failed in his two attempts before slowly losing ground season after season.

And in 2021, the last year before the technical revolution of Formula 1, Sir Lewis sees a new opponent challenging him to a duel: the fierce Max Verstappen at the wheel of his Red Bull. The two men faced each other head-to-head in the first four Grand Prix races, with the advantage going to Lewis Hamilton, 3 wins to 1. The history of Formula 1 is being written, and even rewritten, with an epic pen promising a lot.

When the fights between teammates were raging

Like Mercedes, several fratricidal battles have marked the sport. Two of them took place in the 1980s.

We can remember the legendary duel between Alain Prost and the late Niki Lauda, then McLaren drivers in 1984. That year, when Alain Prost missed the championship by a whisker, leaving the title to his teammate and Austrian role model by only half a point (the smallest gap between two drivers in the standings). The title was probably lost in Monaco, under pouring rain, with the race being stopped midway. A victory was worth only 9 points at the time, Prost only collected 4.5.

We also owe to McLaren the most legendary of rivalries: the same Alain Prost against Ayrton Senna, an absolute genius of racing. 1988 and 1989 were a real internal war. The first blow was struck by Senna, champion in 1988 upon his arrival in the Woking team. Prost was a serious threat to “Magic”, so much so that the latter was ready to put his rival into the wall of the straight line in Estoril that year.

The following year in Suzuka, the two men still gave cold sweats to the McLaren-Honda staff. Six laps to go, Prost is in the lead and temporarily world champion. Unbearable for Senna, who then attempts a kamikaze braking at the last chicane. Prost on the ground, Senna restarts but cuts the chicane and then gets disqualified. The Frenchman is crowned.

It was too much for Prost, who packed his bags for Ferrari, McLaren’s sworn enemy.

When several clans were in conflict

If the fight for the championship could take place within the same team, several seasons have been the scene of confrontations between constructors. The same Senna and Prost continued to dominate the 1990 season, while the two drivers operate as captains of the McLaren and Ferrari teams.

The final round of this season, once again at Suzuka, was going to be decisive for the final victory. Bis repetita: Senna deliberately sends Prost off the track at the first corner: it’s the title for the Brazilian.

Ferrari and McLaren were once again going to battle for the ultimate prize: a duel orchestrated by the flag bearer of the Scuderia, Michael Schumacher, and the Flying Finn, Mika Hakkinen. The highlights of this clash of titans are numerous: the strategic lesson inflicted by Ferrari in Hungary (1998); the disaster of Spa-Francorchamps the same year; Schumi’s crash at Silverstone (1999); and Hakkinen’s legendary maneuver in Belgium (2000).

More recently, two of the most open championships in the history of Formula 1: the 2010 season – when the world champion title was disputed not by two but five drivers! Then, the 2012 season when seven different drivers entered their names in the record books…in seven races! In both cases, Sebastian Vettel emerged as the winner, much to the dismay of a flamboyant Fernando Alonso, who was not rewarded for his panache.

Will the Verstappen-Hamilton duel go all the way?

At least that’s what we hope. Especially since all the elements are in place for these two F1 rough diamonds to compete in the world championship until the end of the 23 Grand Prix races scheduled this year (subject to cancellations, due to Covid).

On one side of the ring: a Lewis Hamilton completely in tune with his Mercedes, coupled with vast experience in the title fight. A W12 that appears to have largely closed the supposed gap with its Red Bull rival and may have a slight performance advantage.

On the other side, the one whose talent and speed promise him the crown: an exceptional driver in battle, capable of delivering performances from elsewhere with a car apparently less fast than the Mercedes. This was confirmed last year at Silverstone, during the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.

A first struggle in Bahrain, a direct confrontation in Imola, two battles at Portimao and a stressful duel in Barcelona… the rest will be absolutely epic: Red Bull and Mercedes have different characteristics, both alternating between lost races and undisputed domination. Especially since there is a wide variety of circuits.

This duel until the last Grand Prix would be a first in five years. But Lewis Hamilton, being accustomed to titles, the pressure is not on his side. Although, Max Verstappen has shown that he could make number 44 crack…the Tosa corner at Imola remembers it!

It had been a long time since we had experienced such an uncertain start to the championship. Everything is set for a legendary rivalry to unfold between two drivers at the height of their talent.

Case to follow!

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