The 2021 championship bout between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will go down in the history books as one of the most intense battles between two drivers. The two fought tooth and nail for the title, with massive personal stakes for both. Verstappen came out on top in 2021, but his victory was surrounded by controversy. Regardless of all the drama, the battle consumed the world of F1 and left fans yearning for more. This is exactly what the fans are manifesting after Verstappen’s recent comments.

During his recent interview with Daily Mail, Verstappen discussed his biggest rival. Surprisingly, the Dutchman shared his respect for the Brit and recognized Hamilton’s accomplishments.

He said, “He is definitely up there as one of the greatest drivers ever. I have no need or desire to deny that. Consistency is his key, and staying on top of his game. That is not so hard when you are so talented. The way he has managed his championships is very impressive. He has stood up when he needed to and made the difference.”

The fans are loving this show of respect and recognition from Verstappen. The media have always pitted the two against each other. However, the Red Bull man’s comments show there is respect between the two world champions.

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However, the fans want to put this respect to the test without another test on the tracks. Although that is a difficult ask with the obvious shortcomings in Hamilton’s challenger.

Fans desperately want to witness a Lewis Hamilton Vs Max Verstappen round 2 despite the obvious gap

Mercedes has failed to deliver a worthy challenger to Hamilton for the second year running. The Dutchman is driving a much superior car in RB19. However, despite the obvious gap between the two pieces of machinery, the fan wants to witness a repeat of the thrilling action. Hamilton is hungry for it as well, but the W14’s shortcomings won’t let us witness the scenario.

The fans still have hope, however, and want to see them lock horns again before the Brit retires.

Some fans also believe only Hamilton can challenge the Dutchman given the opportunity and desperately want to witness it again.

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The fans are appealing to Mercedes to give Hamilton the tools to compete with Verstappen once again. Can the Brackley outfit make that happen in the current campaign or will we have to wait till 2024?