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Battle between Hamilton and Verstappen: 'They will race harder against each other'

Battle between Hamilton and Verstappen: 'They will race harder against each other'

21-04-2021 07:44 Last update: 10:35
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GPblog.com

In Imola it became once more clear that the title fight in 2021 will be between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Tom Clarkson and Damon Hill discuss the first visible changes in their relationship.

The battle with Hamilton

While the Bahrain Grand Prix was won by Lewis Hamilton, the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was won by Verstappen. The two drivers were close in both races and could have won the other one as well. 

''It's the first time I really saw a bit of an edge between the two of them. They both realise that the championship is alright a straight fight between the two of them, and that means they will race with each other harder than anyone else. At least if they're racing each other and crash they're going to take each other out and won't lose points in the championship, but if you lose a race to overtake Lando Norris, you lose a lot of points. Lewis made the point after the race if he had lost 25-points to Max, it would've been very difficult to get it back," said Tom Clarkson in the F1 Nation Podcast.

Verstappen like Alonso?

''What we see now is the opening, testy moments that will build over the season. They're scoring points off each other. Max won at the start in Imola, and Lewis came off badly at the first corner. It's all square. They are learning about each other," added Damon Hill. It's not the first time we've seen this kind of duel. Indeed, Clarkson is reminded of 2005.

''It kind of reminds me of Schumacher and Alonso in 2005. Schumacher already had seven world titles and Ferrari coming off the back of multiple championship successes. That was a bit like the Mercedes of today. Then there was Fernando Alonso, with the slightly Latin temperament, youngster coming in and had then managed to beat Schumacher, while I think he didn't have the better car," the presenter concludes.