Verstappen compared to Schumacher: 'Made him less of a racing driver'.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton start the final race of the season with exactly the same number of points. Yet Verstappen would win the title should both drivers fail to finish in Abu Dhabi due to a crash, for example, a scenario that Formula One journalist David Tremayne said would devalue the sport.

Red Bull and Mercedes equal

On The official website of Formula 1 Tremayne works towards the thrilling denouement of the world championship. He thinks Red Bull and Mercedes are very equal at the moment, especially over one lap. "Red Bull may have a bit more grip, Mercedes a bit more top speed. The changes to the layout of the Yas Marina Circuit could also play a crucial role in the outcome this weekend."

Not happy with Verstappen's choices

Looking back at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, Tremayne did criticise Verstappen's driving style. "I don't want to discredit Max, but he sometimes goes too far in his tactics for my taste. I like him and respect him as a hard racer, although sometimes I'm not happy with the choices he makes."

Tremayne sees similar traits in the Dutchman to two great champions of the past. "It was the same with Ayrton Senna. We often disagreed on what he thought was acceptable. Michael Schumacher had a similar opinion at crucial moments, which in my opinion made him less of a driver."

Devaluation of Formula 1

Verstappen and Hamilton now both have 369.5 points in the championship. Verstappen scored one more win than Hamilton this season and would become world champion in the event of a crash between the two rivals. A scenario Tremayne hopes will not happen. "It would do Verstappen no favours if an incident resulted in them both having to retire. That would be the worst outcome, one that would devalue the sport after such a brilliant season."