“There is a shift in mindset,” Karun Chandhok differentiates between Max Verstappen’s nature of rivalry with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
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Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc
Max Verstappen is as aggressive as it comes in F1 and we saw a glimpse of that in his famous battle with Lewis Hamilton throughout the length of his championship winning season. In one of the interviews, Lewis Hamilton agreed to the fact that he sees Max differently to any other driver because of the fierce approach on the race track. The two had their fair share of incidents like in Monza and Silverstone, just to name a few.
With Lewis Hamilton not being anywhere close to where he has been in the last few years, it’s been a tussle between Max and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The two have been trading blows ever since the start of the season but the nature of rivalry is different. Keeping in mind that both of them have known each other for the longest times and locked horns previously, there’s a sense of respect between the duo.
With Lewis Hamilton, it was very much different because of two reasons. Firstly, Max was chasing his first world championship which made him more eager and aggressive. Secondly, it felt like the Dutchman wanted to dethrone Hamilton rather than anything else but with Charles, he looks at him like an equal, someone who fought his way up to the ladder and is trying to make a mark in Formula 1
Also Read: “We’re not the quickest”: Max Verstappen remains wary of Ferrari threat
Max Verstappen sees Charles Leclerc as a peer rather than competition as was the case with Lewis Hamilton, according to Karun Chandhok
Karun Chandhok has pointed out the differences between their rivalries. In one of the recent interviews, the Indian said, “I still believe that he actually races Leclerc differently to how he raced Lewis last year because I think he was trying to establish himself against Lewis, right?”
“He sees Leclerc as an equal as someone he’s raced with since they were kids and therefore, there’s less ‘elbows out’ in the way they go racing with each other and it’s cleaner.“
“They give each other more space and maybe some of it is maturity and having that World Championship, but I do think there is a shift in the mindset for sure,” as reported by planetf1.
Max Verstappen seems to be more mature in his mindset this year around. That could be very well down to him winning his first championship. But it’s pleasing to see him grow into the sport differently.
Also read: Lando Norris feels Montreal was a reflection of where McLaren’s current standing
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Shubham Bajpai
(776 Articles Published)