Hamilton-Verstafen, two pilots in antipode

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Max Werstafen (Red Bull) have the same goal. It's about fighting for the title of world champion in Formula 1 on Sunday in Bahrain, but in principle they are on antipodes.

One is the seven-time champion who won the most awards in F1 with Michael Schumacher. The other is the first time he became a champion. One is close to the twilight of his career at the age of 37, and the other is still at his dawn even when he starts his eighth season at the age of 24.

Born on January 7, 1985 in the boarding city of Stevenage in northern London, the Englishman 'Sir Lewis' became the first and only black rider to break the glass ceiling of elite motorsport.

Born in the city of Hasselt, his father, son of a Belgian mother who drove a cart in Belgium on September 30, 1997, and was a Formula 1 driver, 'Mad Max', became the youngest driver in F1 (17 years old in 2015) and the youngest winner of the Grand Prix (2016, 18 years old).

To reach the top, the two rivals took very different paths.

- Leon (es) -

In the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive', Hamilton says, “The desire for victory is deeply engraved because he was the last person elected on the playground. “I was definitely better than most of the players I've been with, but I was the only black boy standing in line.” I emphasized that.

Verstappen, born on a ranch, explains in a documentary on the Viaplay platform, remembering “a difficult moment in a karting where you have to travel a lot” in a caravan with his father when he wins his title (he refuses to comment on Netflix).

Off the track, on the ranch, or at a press conference, they are different. Hamilton, who is regularly active at Fashion Week, stands out for his designer outfits, while Verstappen is still a classic.

It is a clear bet that Hamilton will take a position on human rights in Bahrain or Saudi Arabia next week. Vegan, a British man who became a lawyer for ethnic minorities, also takes a stance on environmental defense.

Verstappen does not extend too much on these issues. “Going down to Earth”, he seems to care only about the track and his family, but everything is related. Age can also play an important role in the difference between Hamilton, who already thinks about what to do after his career, and Verstappen, who is still ahead of himself.

On the track, Hamilton is perceived as “clean”. Vestappen is often described as “aggressive”, but today he defends himself as “I am much calmer and more relaxed.”

Certainly English has the perspective of an old wise man who won six times between 2014 and 2020. With a lion tattoo on his chest, he ruled for a long time without a predator out of reach. Except that Verstafen has a lion with a totem animal drawn on a helmet.

- Duels or Campal battles? -

Their competition is not new, the roots are the arrival of a young Dutch in 2015. For a long time, 'King Lewis' settled for a sharp remark, keeping an eye on him without worries. After the first crash in 2018, Hamilton estimated that the Dutch “lack of maturity.”

Verstappen said: “It's easy to blame the youngest.” The duel has begun, it remains only for the Red Bull machine to match the Mercedes. Since 2014, Mercedes has provided Hamilton with a very dominant car and the rise of hybrid technology.

In 2020, Max did not shut up. “Lewis is very good and certainly one of the best, but he's not a god.” Even so, Hamilton won again. After winning four world titles with Sebastian Vettel (2010 to 2013), we had to wait until 2021 to see Red Bull again.

From Silverstone, through Abu Dhabi, Monza or São Paulo, they fought to the end with a high-speed confrontation, overtaking outside the boundaries and a breathtaking finish. The justification is controversial, especially with the finish of the wounded Hamilton in favor of Werstafen, who overtook him on his last lap.

What would their competition look like in 2022 if the Red Bull car had a Monza crash that ended with a silver arrow as its symbol? Until now, other drivers like Charles Leclerc and Ferrari from Carlos Sainz want to set foot in the ring.If so, will it be a duel or a pitching battle?

/ng/gf//