The pair are in a cl🌠ose scrap for this year’s world championship crown, having fought each other on-track three times in as many races and locked out the 🥂top two steps on the podium at the opening three rounds. 

Hamilton has🐭 taken two victories so far this season after defeating Verstappen last weekend in Portugal, while the Red Bull driver beat Hamilton t♌o victory in Imola at the second race. 

The 97th victory of Hamilton’s F1 career has g🍒iven him an eight-point lead over Verstappen heading into this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix, with 20 races still remaining to determ🌳ine the destiny of the world title.

“It’s veryꦅ tight,” Haꩲmilton said of his battle with Verstappen. 

“I think it is a great fight between Mercedes and🦂 Red Bul𒉰l and I’m sure also down the field and we will be pushing each other right to the last race. 

“We’re going to be sick of eac🍃h other at the end I would imagine, or sick of racing, because there are so many race🗹s.

“I’m massively excited and driven,” he added. “I think we all are -♌ as a team - to be in the fight wi🍸th Red Bull. 

“Iꦓ feel like maybe Red Bull lost a little bit of performance this weekend, because I don’t think we improved, but from the last race to here I think they took a sidestep closer to us this weekend, for whatever reasons. 🍰;

“But this is great. This is what we 🎀all live and breathe for, to get up and fight and try and pull out the smallest bits of performance to be able to fight a great competitor.” 

Despite the intense competition, both Hamilton and Verstappen have insisted they trust each other ౠto keep their wheel-to-wheel battles clean throughout the campaign. 

Verstappen said he is relishing the prospect of a season-long battle with Hamilton 🤪as he looks to claim his maiden world championship and Red Bull’s first world title s🐎ince 2013. 

“Yeah it’s close,” Verstappen ac♚knowledged. “I wish it 🎶was closer! 

“It’s a long season and we can’t aff♚ord to have any retirement or silly mistakes so we just have to keep on doing what we’re doing.

ꦜ“I think it’s what everyone wan🌞ts to see but of course what I want as well, because the last few years we have not been close enough. 

“So it’s a good start to𓆏 the season, that’s for sure, and I hope it can be like this for the rest of the season because it keeps everyone excited.🐻”