via Reuters
Formula One F1 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – December 10, 2021 Mercedes Executive Director Toto Wolff and Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner shake hands in the team principals press conference FIA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
via Reuters
Formula One F1 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – December 10, 2021 Mercedes Executive Director Toto Wolff and Red Bull Racing Team Principal Christian Horner shake hands in the team principals press conference FIA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES
If there ever was a prize for the best rivalries in Formula 1, surely Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s rivalry from 2021 would be a contender for the top prize. However, there was one other rivalry that was almost on the same level as the two drivers in the past season.
And this rivalry wasn’t between the drivers, but team principals.
Toto Wolff of Mercedes and Christian Horner of Red Bull engaged in a battle of their own that grew intense with every race weekend. It got to the point where if one would say the sky is blue, the other was expected to say it’s green.
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Regardless, there was one thing on which both the bosses agree upon. And that is the fact that the 2021 season was immensely instrumental in increasing the sport’s appeal and popularity.
The big winner for the F1 popularity surge in the US: Disney.
The 2021 Formula 1 season was the most-watched ever in the U.S. with an average of 934,000 viewers across ESPN, ABC, and ESPN2
Up 54% over 2020
Up 39% over 2019
Up 25% over the previous all-time high in 1995#F1 pic.twitter.com/g7mqiiIHRR— Vincenzo Landino (@vincenzolandino) December 30, 2021
“This duel certainly boosted interest once again. Formula 1 has clearly benefited from this,” Toto Wolff said.
“It was already apparent last year that we were attracting a younger audience,” he continued. “This has become a fan base in its own right. You could almost talk about a changing of the generational guard.”
The Red Bull had also recently said the duel between Hamilton and Verstappen “for sure” helped F1. “It was a fantastic year, the best year I think Formula 1 has had as a sport for probably, 30-40 years,” he said.
Lewis Hamilton at the “zenith of his ability” according to Wolff
After the 2021 season, many fans linked the Hamilton-Verstappen rivalry to that of Senna-Prost. Toto Wolff was asked the same question as well, but the Austrian doesn’t share that opinion.
“No, they’re completely different guys. Max is lighting-fast, but he doesn’t have the experience yet,” Wolff said. “Lewis is driving at the zenith of his ability.”
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Wolff added, “The two drove in a class of their own. At times, they had a 40 to 45-second lead over the third-place finisher.”
via Getty
BARCELONA, SPAIN – MAY 08: Pole position qualifier Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes GP shakes hands with second place qualifier Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Red Bull Racing in parc ferme during qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on May 08, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
The comparisons between the two are only natural, and to an extent fair as well.
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Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have directly or indirectly opened the floodgates of Formula 1 to a whole new generation of fans, something which perhaps no other rivalry in the past achieved.
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