Verstappen on 2021 fight against Hamilton: 'Conflict played a big role'

Despite his two DNFs in three races, Max Verstappen has had some nice battles on track with Charles Leclerc. The battle against Lewis Hamilton looked a lot different, but the Dutchman has a good explanation for this.

Verstappen and Leclerc have known each other since childhood. The two drivers used to race each other in karting, but now the rivals get to compete in Formula 1. In Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the Ferrari and Red Bull were evenly matched, which made for DRS battles and some nice overtaking.

In conversation with La Gazzetta dello Sport Verstappen is asked if the confrontation with Hamilton in 2021 was different. "Every driver is different in the way they attack or defend, so you have to approach it in a certain way", replies the Dutchman.

Conflict between Mercedes and Red Bull

The title fight in 2021 was often aggressive, as Verstappen and Hamilton clashed several times. Fans and experts, therefore, note that the fight between Verstappen and Leclerc has been clean so far. The Red Bull driver explains why there was often more aggression between him and Hamilton.

"I think the conflict between Mercedes and Red Bull played a big role in the fight between me and Lewis, as well as all the events that happened during the championship. That exacerbated the confrontation on the track."