Hamilton vs Verstappen rivalry picked apart: “Lewis knows Max will give way”
Mercedes ༒driver Hamilton overtook pole-sitter Verstappen of Red Bull on the first lap of the F1 Australian Grand Prix, later defending his manoeuvre amid accusations from his rival of a rule-break.
Verstappen did not defend particularly aggressively, likely knowing he had the better car to 🎀make u𝔍p the position later, which he duly did en route to victory.
Sky reporter Kravitz has noted how the battle ꦿbetween F1’s two top drivers has evolved from the days where Verstappen chased then-champion H🔜amilton.
“What’s fas🐽cinating for me is that we now have Verstappen w🐼ith a championship to think about,” Kravitz said.
“We have a complete flip from the Ha🍸milton seasons from 2014-21, when he was going for the championships, when he knew that he had the fastest car and needed to play it safe.
“You had the upstart Vers🗹tappen ꧟challenging him, wanting to get in there.
“It has completely flipped.
“Now you’ve got the upstart Hamilton challenging Verstappen, saying: ‘No𒊎 cares given! I’m out there to take al𓆏l the risks!’
“He’s🌞 putting it on the championship defender Verstappen, who is say𓆉ing: ‘I’ve got to think about my championship here’.
“It’s so weird, funny!
“Hamilton knows he won’t win the cha💧mpionship this year, not unless something really weird happens.
“He can go in there and be aggressive🎃 with Verstappen, knowing Verstappen wi⭕ll give way.”
Verstap💜pen shot past the defenceless Hamilton later at the F1 Australian Grand Prix before claiming his second victory in three grands prix of 2023.
His title defence, and a third cons🅷ecutive championship, looks nailed on already.
But Hamilton still holds the joint-record, with Michael Schumacher, for seven championships which is still some wa🙈y off for Verstappen.
They resume battle at the 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix from April 28.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Spo💜rts for aܫ decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
