Verstappen and Hamilton want something in common in F1, but not outside it

The São Paulo Grand Prix, this Sunday (14), may confirm the condition of Max Verstappen, 24, as the favorite for this year’s F1 title. The championship leader has a chance to extend his lead over Lewis Hamilton — he currently has 19 points (312.5 to 293.5) — with just three stages remaining.

The end of the season could also mean the breaking of the hegemony of the seven-time world champion. At 36 years old, the Englishman started 2021 with the objective of conquering the Worlds for the eighth time and becoming the greatest champion of the category, in isolation – today he is tied with the German Michael Schumacher.

Winner in the last four seasons, the Mercedes driver has returned this year to a rivalry he was no longer used to.

With an impetus similar to that of the Englishman, in addition to showing a lot of technique and speed, Verstappen showed a talent to match to remove Hamilton from the throne in F1.

Whether the Dutchman will win the title this year or how many more he will win throughout his career is too early to say. The fact is that he has a talent for fighting for the top.

Taking Hamilton’s space on the track is a clear objective for Max. Outside of competition, however, they lead very different lifestyles and don’t usually occupy the same places.

Since reaching F1 idol status, the Englishman started to use his success to raise banners for social causes, such as the fight against racism and for more diversity in sport.

“When I started in this sport, I always tried to understand what my purpose was. And when I started, I was the only black driver. I have more work to do,” says Hamilton.

Since 2020, he has been leading anti-racist protests in F1. He is also very active on social networks, where he publicizes his participation in actions such as the Black Lives Matter movement (Black Lives Matter).

More recently, he started a foundation to promote black youth’s access to quality education. “This is the biggest source of pride for me,” he says.

Hamilton’s activist profile is opposed to Verstappen’s style. The Dutchman also likes to share his life on social media, but his posts reveal much more a taste for luxury trips and tours, as in the images in which the pilot appears alongside his girlfriend Kelly Piquet, daughter of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet – don’t be you can say, however, that the English Mercedes driver has never flaunted the fame.

Verstappen was recently involved in a controversy when referring to the Brazilian. During a live, the Dutchman was asked by a fan about what was the most expensive purchase he had ever made. The pilot, then, replied: “my girlfriend”, which generated the revolt of followers for the sexist comment.

It wasn’t the first time that his attitude wasn’t well regarded. In F1 itself, he was part of the group that refused to participate in the anti-racist protests led by Hamilton.

In the 2020 season opener, Verstappen was one of six drivers who remained standing while the other 14 knelt. Besides him, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc, the Italian Antonio Giovinazzi, the Spaniard Carlos Sainz, the Finn Kimi Raikkonen and the Russian Daniil Kvyat did not make the gesture of protest.

The Dutchman said he is committed to the fight against racism, but believes “that everyone has the right to express themselves in the way that suits them”.

Verstappen is the type who doesn’t like to be compared. So much so that he has already declared that he has no idols in F1, not even his father, Jos Verstappen, who competed in the category in the 1990s — the former driver, however, did not have the success that his son has now, because never won one race and took two third places as his best positions in 107 races.

Even if the father had been more successful, he doesn’t show that he would think differently. In recent days, Verstappen had a meeting with his father-in-law Nelson Piquet. Asked if he had asked the Brazilian, three-time champion of the category, for any advice, he was direct: “We didn’t talk about it [F1]. I don’t need advice”.

On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton’s greatest idol is precisely a Brazilian. Since arriving in F1, the seven-time champion declares himself a fan of Ayrton Senna. When he runs in Brazil, he insists on wearing a yellow helmet, similar to the one the Brazilian wore. And he even made a photo montage this week to show his affection for the three-time champion — in the image, the two are hugging on the Interlagos circuit.

Differences aside, Hamilton and Verstappen have had a great dispute throughout this season. They are mainly responsible for returning the emotion of rivalries that the category lacked in recent years, at least since 2016, when the Englishman was runner-up, being surpassed by his then partner at Mercedes, German Nico Rosberg, by five points.

In Brazil, the Englishman is looking for his 101st victory, while the Dutchman fights for the 20th of his career. The 19th stage of the season will start at 2 pm (Band broadcasts the race).