The last F1 season is thought to be one of the most competitive in the racing sport’s recent history. Controversial, exhilarating, nerve-wracking; it literally had everything that could keep people wanting to experience more.
And the majority, if not all, of these involved two now-famous F1 drivers, defending champion Lewis Hamilton and reigning champion Max Verstappen. Or perhaps, Mercedes and Red Bull.
In the fight towards his first championship, the 24-year old Dutchman committed various offences, including collisions and brake-checks, which saw him penalized, and could see him miss a race if he errs more in the first 16 races of the coming season.
Many would expect Verstappen’s relationship with law enforcement to be strained, especially in a season where the former champion will look to reclaim his championship in each race.
“…I had a good relationship with the stewards…There is no bad blood there,” the Red Bull leading driver told Motorsport-Total.com.
While many insist that director Masi’s decision to restart on the last lap was a deliberate move that “snatched” Hamilton’s championship, Verstappen reasons that that’s not the case as it wasn’t a first.
“For me…it was completely normal…Maybe people don’t remember it, but it has happened before. They have done it before,” argued Max, citing a similar case in the Azerbaijan match.
