Max Verstappen has been ruthless, relentless, and absolutely unforgiving in the 2023 F1 championship season. The Dutchman not only won the driver’s championship, but he won it by stamping his unrelenting authority on the title. Many would think the Red Bull man would take his foot off the pedal after winning the championship, especially in the penultimate race of the season. However, that’s just not how Max Verstappen is wired and he showcased that during the 2023 Abu Dhabi GP FP2 session.

The Dutchman showcased his resolve to approach every race with the same mentality in one instance during the second practice session. In fact, he did so in such a manner and during such a part of the track that F1 experts are lauding him for his masterplan. The master plan to intimidate Lewis Hamilton and Co.

Max Verstappen perfectly executed his scare tactics on Lewis Hamilton during the 2023 Abu Dhabi GP practice session

Ever since the 2021 season, the hunter has become the prey in this world of F1. Mercedes dethroned themselves with their poor interaction of an F1 challenger in 2022 and 23 and Hamilton’s dream has suffered a major setback because of it. To add insult to injury, his biggest rival has been on a record-breaking winning streak since 2022. To showcase Red Bull’s prowess over Mercedes, Verstappen perfectly executed his masterplan in the pitlane during the Abu Dhabi GP FP2 session.

The red-flagged session with limited time remaining agitated the Dutchman who went around the outside of Hamilton slowly making his way on the track in the narrow pit exit. This according to the experts Matt and Tommy was a perfectly executed masterplan by Verstappen to intimidate Hamilton.

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On their podcast, talking about the disrupted practice session, one of the expert hosts said, “He did get to practice his race craft in the pit lane with the two Mercedes, which was quite interesting.”

The other expert said, “He’s so switched on at all times, it’s crazy!” and then proceeded to highlight the more than double point gap from his teammate he currently holds in the driver’s standings who is locked in at P2.

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However, that’s just simply the mentality of a winner because Formula 1 is a mental sport as much as it is a physical sport. If you need proof, let us highlight some of the mind games being played ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP.

Christian Horner plays his first mind trick before the final race against Lewis Hamilton and Co. to start the war for 2024

After the 2021 season, despite where they are in the grid hierarchy, Red Bull and Mercedes will never not be rivals. The Red Bull boss Christian Horner showcased that with his mind trick ahead of the Abu Dhabi GP. We are now all aware of how Horner made an eye-popping confession about Hamiton’s desire to join Red Bull.

However, in Hamilton’s own words, it’s not true and the Brit has made a statement ridiculing the claim from Horner to hit back.

“I know it’s come from Christian. I don’t really understand what he’s been talking about. Because no one, as far as I’m aware from my team, has spoken to him. I haven’t spoken to Christian really in years,” Hamilton retorted.

“He did reach out to me earlier in the year about meeting up. But that’s it, I just congratulated him on an amazing year and said hopefully, soon I’ll be able to fight against you guys in the near future. That was it. So I’m not really sure. I think he’s just stirring things. There aren’t any confidential discussions. You know Christian. He loves that kind of stuff,” he added.

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The Brit has definitely fired back with his admission. The mind games have already begun, and it will be interesting to see how the two parties extend this war of words in the next season. Hopefully on the track!