'As world champion you have more pressure, but Verstappen doesn't care about that'

Philippe Eng argues that the pressure on Max Verstappen may be greater next season than in 2021, despite having his first world title in his pocket by now. However, the BMW driver believes that Verstappen is not so sensitive to that pressure and that his performance will not suffer.

The 31-year-old driver let it be known in ServusTV 's program Sport und Talk aus dem Hangar-7: "Max has really earned the number 1, and it was already clear to me that he would start with this number. Only the world champion is entitled to the number 1. Being champion creates more pressure, but Max doesn't care. He's going for it full force, just like last season," Eng said.

Hamilton doesn't run away from battle

Last season it was a neck-and-neck race between Verstappen and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The latter missed out on his eighth world championship and he was pretty sour about that. A long period of radio silence followed, but now it has become clear that the Briton will 'just' step into the W13 again in 2022.

Eng does not find this very surprising. The Austrian thinks Hamilton is full of feelings of revenge. "He is an absolute racer and a thoroughbred sportsman, and he knows he can make history with his eighth world title." On Friday, Mercedes' W13 will be unveiled, and Hamilton will make an appearance.