Hamilton sees downside to Verstappen: 'I was like that myself in my first year'.

Lewis Hamilton does not have it easy in 2021. After being able to drive to the world title fairly easily in recent years, this year he is being challenged by Max Verstappen. The Brit learns a lot about the Dutchman but is also complimentary.

New battle for Hamilton

For Hamilton, a title fight in Formula 1 is not new. In his first year in F1 in 2007, the Briton narrowly missed out on a historic title, but one year later he eventually won it. Between 2014 and 2020, he won six more world titles with Mercedes, in which he fought duels with Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel. The battle with Verstappen, however, seems to be of a slightly different order.

''I have been racing for a long time and have raced against many different characters. So many talented drivers with each having their own unique qualities. Some drivers you have to give more space to than others, and Max is one of those drivers. We just have a lot of exciting fights this year, and with every race, I learn more and more about him as a character, as a person and as a driver. I try to learn from that to be able to make better choices in the future. But for that I already have to make sure I don't get in that position,'' Hamilton said at the Weekend Warm-Up.

Compliments for Verstappen

Verstappen is seen as the hard racer, and so Will Buxton asks Lewis if he has seen a moment where Verstappen does give up a duel at times. ' 'Uhhh, he hasn't shown that yet,'' Hamilton says after much thought. ''It's also not that I expect or want that from a driver, but everyone has to know where the limit is. That's the balance you have to have as a driver.''

Yet Hamilton also sees similarities with himself. ''I was like that in my first year when I was fighting for the title. Then it was also at every duel do or die. I have no doubt he will continue to develop. He is already such a great driver, so I believe he will get stronger and stronger,'' concluded the seven-time world champion.