Verstappen pushes Hamilton to the limit: 'Lewis is challenged by Max'

Lewis Hamilton made a big mistake during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, not for the first time. The Briton switched on his 'Magic' button and shot straight into the first corner on the restart as a result. Is the pressure starting to get to him?

With seven world titles under his belt, Hamilton is currently the most experienced driver on the Formula 1 grid when it comes to title contention. The Briton has previously fought duels with Fernando Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg, but this year he faces a new opponent in the form of Max Verstappen.

Huge pressure on Hamilton

Under the pressure of Verstappen, Hamilton has already been caught out by some big mistakes this season. These include sliding his W12 into the wall at Imola and shooting straight on at the restart in Baku. ''This is the first time for me that Lewis really drives to the limit. He is brutally challenged by Max. Everyone is at their maximum - for us viewers, all of this is, of course, great,'' said Christian Klien at ServusTV.

''The outcome of the race in Baku could have set the trend in the World Cup, with a victory by Verstappen including the fastest lap and zero by Hamilton at the same time, that would have been 26 points plus. Now, however, the point balance between Hamilton and Max has remained as it was before Baku. It's really darn close this year'', concludes the former Red Bull Racing Formula One driver.