The last 2 years have not been the most straightforward for Max Verstappen. Well, from a pure numbers perspective, yes he has obliterated records in 2022 and made history by beating a 7-time world champion. Though, in the background, a lot of aspects have overshadowed this success. Amongst all those, even if we consider the numerous clashes with Lewis Hamilton, it can become a huge point for debate. Although, back in the day Max’s comments about F1 icon Michael Schumacher‘s incidents may be termed as hypocritical.

In an exclusive interview with BBC in 2019, Verstappen cited his views on the difference between dirty driving and hard racing. During this conversation, Max mentioned Michael Schumacher’s arguable “dirty” crimes of turning into Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve.

He stated, “Dirty is like deliberately… I would refer to [Michael] Schumacher turning into Damon [Hill] and [Jacques] Villeneuve. Those two [incidents] were crossing the line.” The Red Bull driver said these comments ahead of the 2019 Japanese GP.

Back then, he certainly did not envision him arguably doing similar maneuvers with Lewis Hamilton a couple of years later. So, in hindsight, after watching the 4 or 5 collisions of Max and Lewis, Verstappen accusing Schumacher does feel odd. As it does not sit well with the aggressive nature of the Dutchman’s moves on the track.

The Red Bull driver further added, “But a hard fight, having a bit of a touch, but of course, out-braking, being on the edge [is OK]. Not: ‘The other car is overtaking me, I’ll just turn in and we both crash.’ That’s a different mentality.” One can argue about who has been the culprit in Max and Lewis’s incidents at Silverstone 2021 or Brazil 2022.

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There have been a lot of controversial conversations around his driving style. Since then Max Verstappen has tried to do some damage control when he would speak about incidents with Hamilton. Nonetheless, as the 2023 season comes closer, if Lewis challenges him, Max ain’t backing down even an inch for sure.

Will Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton set up another Titanic Title battle in 2023?

After a year of cooldown, it is expected that things may heat up between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. Though, they would hope that things don’t get as escalated as in 2021. Still, if Mercedes can close the gap to Red Bull’s pace, another Verstappen-Hamilton title clash is on the cards.

Verstappen pretty much walked unchallenged to his 2nd title in 2022. Meanwhile, Lewis struggled badly with the new ground-effect car regulations. But, the late-season gains by the Silver Arrows have looked promising. So, Hamilton won’t mind getting back at winning races and giving Max something to worry about.

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While Charles Leclerc challenged the Dutchman to some extent last year, it wasn’t as consistent as Lewis. The Mercedes legend has been one of the few drivers who has ruffled a few feathers in battle with Verstappen. Thus, if the Mercedes W14 is quick, Hamilton ain’t holding back surely.

The big question is, will Max react similarly to how he reacted in 2021? Verstappen has shown signs of growth and maturity in his 2nd title triumph. Therefore, a 2023 Max-Lewis showdown may not be a sequel to 2021, but rather a spin-off.

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Or else, all these speculations go haywire and Mercedes may still end up off the pace by 0.4 seconds a lap. Still, it is a keen aspect to watch for the upcoming season as 2022 almost became a snoozefest with Verstappen’s 15 wins from 22 races. What do you think, who will be the title challengers for the 2023 championship?