Max Verstappen’s 2021 victory over Lewis Hamilton was a titanic effort by Red Bull and the Dutch lion. But as the 2x Champion looks back at that glorious siege to the 7x Champion’s throne, Max Verstappen narrates a tale where he let his dark side find pleasure in Lewis Hamilton’s misery.

The 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a turning point in the title battle. At the end of it all, the points that Lewis Hamilton squandered in Baku by locking up at the restart may as well have decided the Championship. But where was Max Verstappen when all of this was unfolding?

While on the Red Bull podcast, Verstappen said, “I mean, of course, I was upset. I had the puncture and I shunted into the wall. But I’ll never forget, so I had to go to the medical centre. So I was walking, long way to get there, by the way, terrible. Then I was in the medical center. Then I hear the restart, right?”

“At one point I hear the guys braking and I could hear [imitates Hamilton locking up] and everyone’s like ‘Yeah!’ like this.” Verstappen then received “like a 100 messages,” and realized that Hamilton had locked up and Perez had taken the lead.

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2021 was the year that saw the fiercest side of both men on the track. That being said, you’d be well within your rights to expect that the rivalry did spill over off-track as well. But did it, really?

What stopped the Max Verstappen & Lewis Hamilton spat from turning really ugly?

Both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are aggressive characters. And this is exactly what has led them to F1 glory. But in the heat of the battle, as it turns out, the 7x Champion tried being the bigger man and contained their rivalry to the confines of the racetrack.

On the Desus & Mero podcast, Hamilton explained why they never really went at each other’s throats. He said, “Nah, well, look I’m 36, so you know he’s 25. Um, I’ve got to set an example. Now, if he was 36, things would be different!”

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In 2023, if Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton went toe-to-toe once again for the championship, who’s coming out victorious this time?