Verstappen no longer spoke to Hamilton about final round Abu Dhabi 2021

A year ago, Hamilton and Verstappen battled for the world title until the last lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen eventually clinched that title and much has been said and written about it since. Verstappen himself would rather put it behind him and asked if he has spoken to Hamilton about it, he is clear.

No conversation with Hamilton

''No. The season is over. You leave it behind,'' the Red Bull driver said to Auto, Motor und Sport. ''People always talk about the last race. But you have to look at the whole season. We fought all year. That should be remembered. Two teams threw everything in the ring. Finally, there was competition for the title again.''

In 2022, there was much less of that fight. Mercedes had missed the boat and Charles Leclerc, with Ferrari, failed to provide the same resistance as Mercedes had done a year earlier. The duels with Leclerc are also less fierce than with Lewis, with whom things always seem to go wrong. Leclerc thinks this will be different when the two fight for the title and Verstappen also expects a different duel then.

Duels with Leclerc

''Duels are different with every driver. When the World Cup is at stake, you fight for every point. At the beginning of the year you always want to win, of course. But if it's not possible, you back down and set yourself up for P2. I've known him (Leclerc) for a long time. We've been racing against each other since we were twelve. I can probably judge him better.''

With a second world title in his pocket, Verstappen will go on a well-earned holiday to come back even stronger in 2023 and hunt for world title number three. Mercedes will want to come back stronger, so another battle with rival Hamilton may be imminent.