Max Verstappen’s Afterglow of Defeating Lewis Hamilton Induced “Fear” in Ruined Charles Leclerc

“This is f****** awesome. It’s f****** awesome isn’t it. Well done, son!” That’s how Max Verstappen was congratulated by legend, David Coulthard, as he beat Lewis Hamilton to the World Championship in a nail-biter of a GP at Abu Dhabi.

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were the protagonists of the 2021 story. They ended up playing leading roles in the final race as well, just as one would want. A young, aggressive driver was unseating the established veteran.

Verstappen deservedly received plaudits for his stupendous performances across the season as well as during that last race. Luck did play its role, but Max got there on his own. 

David Coulthard, a veteran of the sport in his own regard, was one of the many who congratulated the Dutchman. He narrates the story of his interview with Max after the race. Talking to Motorsport.com he said, “Once inside there was a kind of striking, almost serene calm. Jos [Verstappen] was very calm and Max was very calm himself.”

“Is he faster? No, I don’t think so, because he was already very fast. Better than 2021 is almost impossible in that respect. But is he more relaxed and mature? One hundred percent.”

He further goes on to explain how Max’s win has affected Charles Leclerc. “If you look at Charles, there is still a certain fear in his driving. That’s perhaps logical as Ferrari have left points they shouldn’t have left. But Max doesn’t make those few mistakes anymore and they do make a difference.”

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As Coulthard explains, Max has gone on to build upon his performances from last year. He leads the grid by an enormous margin and might win the World Championship in the next race itself. Things, however, are not the same for Lewis.

Differing Fortunes for Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton

Max won in a highly contested race, and final lap, in Abu Dhabi. Things were heated up. Mercedes lodged complaints with the FIA and Race Stewards. It meant the Dutchman still did not officially have his name on the trophy. It was all very tense.

A year on from that spectacle/debacle, depending on what side of the pit wall you stand, things are very different for the two drivers.

Verstappen has performed excellently, winning 11 of the 16 races this season. He leads the 2nd placed Charles Leclerc by 116 points. He has the opportunity to get his second World Championship within the next week, provided he wins in Singapore.

On the other hand, Lewis has been off the mark far too often for his pedigree. 

The Briton languishes at 6th place. With just 168 points scored and no race wins yet, the gap between him and Verstappen is ever-widening. He is 167 points off Max and has struggled to find pace.

Coulthard makes glowing praises about the young driver from Hasselt, Belgium.

Comparing him to Hamilton, he said “I knew he would either crash and become World Champion, or catch up and become World Champion. So yes”

“As soon as there’s a gap, even if it’s not really a gap, he goes for it. That makes him a worthy champion in my eyes. He managed to get inside Lewis’ head and Lewis knew he had to leave room. No other driver has that effect on Lewis.”

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With that said, Lewis isn’t one to give up. It is never over until it is over. There still remain chances, even if purely academic in nature, for Verstappen to find himself in trouble. But it has been a great season and hopefully will stay that way.