Max Verstappen had an unfortunate start this season, retiring from the season-opener in Bahrain. But he redeemed that loss with a victory in the next race in Jeddah. Meanwhile, Max’s rival Lewis Hamilton is having a hard time this season and only bagged a podium in Bahrain thanks to the Red Bull duo retiring in that race.

Fans witnessed some great clashes between the two drivers in the past few years. Last season was the fiercest battle between the two drivers for the title. Fans witnessed many epic races like the infamous season-finale in Abu Dhabi last season. But due to the heated on-track rivalry between the Red Bull and Mercedes drivers, there are many rumors about them not being on the best of terms with each other, even off track. However, that’s not the case.

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Instead, both the drivers have mutual respect for each other. The Dutchman has recently revealed that he respects the seven-time world champion and hailed him as the greatest driver in F1 history. Red Bull driver reported, “We’ve had our fights, but there’s also a lot of respect. He’s one of the greatest racers ever.”

Can Max Verstappen defend his champion title?

The Dutchman got the number #1 on his RB18 this season. But if the driver wants to continue with this number, then he needs to look out for the competition from other teams. Verstappen is undoubtedly one of the best drivers on the grid at the moment, despite being just 24-years-old. But there is another 24-year-old on the grid who is giving a tough time to the champ.

Charles Leclerc dominated the first 2 races of the season. However, the Dutch eventually won the second one. But the Monégasque driver and his Italian F1 team are one of the primary rivals for the Red Bull man. Further, Max can’t also ignore the Silver Arrows although they might not be in an impressive form at the moment. But he can’t ignore the fact that Mercedes has been an immense challenge for him and Red Bull in the past. Moreover, the German constructor has a strong lineup, the young talent George Russell and one of the best drivers ever, Lewis Hamilton.

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The F1 2022 calendar is moving to the next venue in Melbourne with still many races left on the calendar this season. So, Max still has a long way ahead of him. Let’s see if the reigning champion puts up a good fight against the determined Reds at the Australian GP next week.