Red Bull Insider Exposes ‘War-like’ Paddock During Max Verstappen’s Title Charge Against Lewis Hamilton in 2021

Max Verstappen's ex-performance coach Bradley Scanes recalled how the tensions peaked during his title battle against Lewis Hamilton in 2021.

Red Bull Insider Exposes ‘War-like’ Paddock During Max Verstappen’s Title Charge Against Lewis Hamilton in 2021

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, 2021 Abu Dhabi GP (Via IMAGO)

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The 2021 season of Formula 1 might go down in history as one of the most intense ones, as Max Verstappen trumped Lewis Hamilton for the title win. Verstappen won his maiden title in a very controversial manner, as many people are still not over that night at the season-finale Abu Dhabi GP. None of the seasons has come close to producing the enthralling battles of the 2021 season between Red Bull and Mercedes. As such, the Dutchman’s ex-performance coach recalled how the tensions reached their peak during the final few races.

Max Verstappen and Co. hadn’t commented much on the night of the Abu Dhabi GP after he won his maiden driver’s title. Lewis Hamilton could have broken Michael Schumacher‘s world record of seven championship wins if he had won that night. Although Hamilton did not comment much on it, Toto Wolff had asserted that he was still not over the controversies that happened in the 2021 season.

Max Verstappen’s former performance coach, Bradley Scanes, retraced the events of the 2021 season, especially the final few races. Scanes asserted that the paddocks were arranged in a manner that rival team members also passed one another’s garages while moving around the paddock.

However, Scanes recalled that back then, people of Red Bull and Mercedes would not even look at one another. The people turned their heads when they saw their primary rivals in the 2021 season. The battle wasn’t only between the two drivers, but their entire team and crew members, as they did not even talk to one another, because of the battle.

The way the paddocks laid out a little bit, you have to walk past each other, walk past each other’s hospitality as well. And no one would even look at each other… Red Bull, Mercedes, no one would look at each other, no one would talk to each other.

Bradley Scanes said on the High Performance Podcast

Bradley Scanes recalled that the tension was so tense and uncomfortable that one could have cut it with a knife. Scanes pointed out that now people would stop by one another’s garages, even if they worked within two different teams. However, back then, the battle was so ‘war-like’ that people wouldn’t talk to one another, no matter the relationship or the bond they shared.

You could cut the tension with a knife. And like nowadays, you’d stop and talk to your other half from Mercedes, or guys you knew there. But in those last few races, it was a battle, it was war.

Bradley Scanes added

Bradley Scanes declares Max Verstappen ‘deserved’ 2021 title

Many people snubbed Max Verstappen as the rightful winner of the 2021 driver’s title as race control took a decision that was never taken before, and caused Lewis Hamilton to lose the season final in Abu Dhabi. Even Hamilton had hinted that he was robbed of the race win and ultimately the title. Regardless of the events at the final race, both drivers gave it their all throughout the season, and Verstappen just drove his race and brought home the race win.

Lewis Hamilton congratulating Max Verstappen on 2021 title win (via Motorsport)
Lewis Hamilton congratulating Max Verstappen on the 2021 title win (via Motorsport)

Bradley Scanes insisted that whatever happened in the 2021 season was in the past and not up for discussion anymore. Regardless, both drivers deserved to win the title. But since Scanes worked with Verstappen in the Red Bull camp, he asserted that the latter deserved the title win more.

Whatever happened, happened in Abu Dhabi, but both drivers, for sure, deserved to win that title that year. Obviously, I’m biased, and we deserved it more,

Bradley Scanes noted

Max Verstappen never looked back in terms of performance since then and won three more driver’s titles just to prove his dominance in Formula 1. Since then, Hamilton has only won a handful of races since then and suffered from a performance slump in recent years. The 2025 season has been extremely difficult for both Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen. Regardless, the two drivers and their rivalry will go down in history as one of the greatest, if not the greatest.

Also Read: “Always Hated It,” Toto Wolff Reveals Dreadful Moment with Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes