Hamilton is now a “more aggressive driver”

“From your comments, I think you have a terrible car. And that’s been the case since 2017,” remarked the Red Bull champion with biting irony before the opening Grand Prix in Bahrain on Sunday (16.00 p.m. CET). According to Verstappen's assessment, Mercedes deliberately talks itself weak.

Hamilton appeared on the desert circuit on Friday wearing a white designer jacket with a black belt. The message of the outfit could be: The seven-time world champion, who was dethroned in the final thriller in Abu Dhabi, is ready for the next duel for the World Cup crown that Formula 1 is longing for. “I will be a more aggressive driver this year, you will see,” assured Hamilton with an ambiguous smile on his face when asked about future duels with Verstappen. The English record champion, who was bullied as a student and then found refuge in martial arts, no longer wants to retire.

Max Verstappen wants to defend his title. © APA/afp / OZAN KOSE

There are many unknowns in the first year of the Formula 1 rules revolution with completely renewed aerodynamics - Verstappen's determination has not changed before this 245-day season. “The motivation is the same and even higher because you want to keep winning,” assured Verstappen. His first title took a burden off him. “This pressure of wanting and needing it is gone, but we want to keep winning races,” he emphasized. Winning title number one can be inspiring. “I think there is a boost. In a way, it takes a lot of weight off your shoulders,” recalled Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel, who was missing after a positive corona test, of his first of four world championship titles in 2010. A new number 1 Verstappen also took off his starting number 33 for the time being and will contest this season with the world champion's number 1. “Maybe this is the only time in my life that I can do it like that,” said the Dutchman and added with a laugh: “It’s also good for selling fan items, so it’s clever too.”

The Dutchman does not feel under pressure to prove himself after the controversial 2021 World Cup final. “No, I proved it with the most wins, the most poles and the most laps led. People forget that because they only look at Abu Dhabi. But we have more races than just Abu Dhabi this season,” explained Verstappen. In any case, he has no worries about complacency ahead of the upcoming 22 races. “I grew up so that this couldn’t happen,” he assured, referring to the well-known strictness of his father Jos, Michael Schumacher’s former teammate. “My father made sure nothing like that happened.” “I don’t hold any grudges, I don’t have any burden that I’m carrying into the season.” Lewis Hamilton Complacency? A foreign word for Hamilton, even before his 16th season. He doesn't feel revenge either. “That's not how I tick, that's not how I approach the season. I want to be the best I can be,” he emphasized. Hamilton wants to improve his performance and at least be at the level he was at the end of the season, when he only lost the title after questionable decisions by the race management. “I don’t hold any grudges, I don’t have any burden that I’m carrying into the season,” he said. Mercedes needs to catch up After the test drives with his Mercedes team, the Briton still sees a lot of catching up to do. “We learned the limits of our car step by step. We have a lot of work ahead of us,” he stated. Last year's winner said that the Silver Arrows would not be competing for victories at the moment. This is not a bluff or a psychological game. Verstappen sees it differently.

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Hamilton is now a “more aggressive driver”

As the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen took the first verbal lead before the adrenaline test of strength with Lewis Hamilton. “They will be at the back,” he said of Mercedes.

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