“Max Verstappen” by Autosports is licensed under CC BY 3.0
British Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton enters the new season as the current holder of the sport’s world championship. The Englishman has a record seven world titles to his name, won between 2008 and 2020. Hamilton has dominated the sport over the last 12 years. But is he about to be overtaken by a young, hungry star?
The current Formula 1 betting available at the leading online bookmakers makes Hamilton favourite to win an eighth title, but not everyone’s convinced. Lewis is 36 years old, which makes him a veteran in racing terms. He has broken all records and eclipsed everything that was ever expected of him as a driver. Having won it all, does he still possess that raw determination that propelled him to glory in each of the last four seasons?
What more does he have to achieve in the sport? We’ll get a glimpse of his remaining passion for winning Grand Prix trophies in the early exchanges of the 2021 season, but there’s no doubt Hamilton is closer to the finish line in his career than the start. One man waiting in the wings to pass the great is Belgium’s Max Verstappen. Many F1 pundits pick Max as the sport’s future, and it’s easy to see why.
The Red Bull driver is flying
Entering the new season, Verstappen races for Red Bull in car number 33. At just 23 years old, he may be a youngster in the circuit, but what he lacks in years he more than makes up for in race experience. Max has already had 120 entries, and his stats are promising. He has 10 Grand Prix wins, no less than 43 podium finishes – and counting – and has accumulated more than 1100 championship points.
Verstappen’s CV shows he has started from the front of the grid four times, and he boasts an impressive ten fastest laps. The latter is particularly encouraging as it shows he has the speed and character to get around the tracks quickly. He also has the nerve and bravery to tackle corners at pace. That means the only thing he lacks at present is experience, and the youngster is gaining that with the passing of every Grand Prix.
Verstappen claimed the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on his way to finishing third in last season’s Driver’s Championship behind Lewis Hamilton and Valterri Bottas. He racked up 214 points which was 133 behind the champion but only nine behind Bottas. During that season, he won the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Max was also runner up in Hungary, Britain, Spain, Russia, Germany and Bahrain.
Traders give max respect
Entering a new year, a new season, we could be looking at a new champion. Hamilton is the betting favourite with most sportsbooks, but the F1 outright market is more competitive now than it has been for years. Traders are beginning to take Verstappen seriously. If he can pick up where he left off last season when bringing the curtain down on the top step in Abu Dhabi, his odds will shorten.
Verstappen retired in the Austrian Grand Prix last year, which was a dreadful start for him, but it didn’t take long for the talented driver to find his form. He finished on the podium in his next six races before failing to finish at the Italian Grand Prix and Tuscan Grand Prix. Max will be looking for a similar start this term but will want to lay down a marker early by finishing the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix and doing so on the podium. A race win would serve as a statement of intent for the coming campaign.
An exciting addition to the 2021 F1 season will be the familiar name of Michael Schumacker, the son of the famous racer of the same name. The 22-year-old German is a Ferrari Academy graduate. He isn’t expected to challenge the likes of Hamilton and Verstappen for glory this year, but if he’s as talented as his father, it won’t be too long before young Mick finds himself soaked in champagne. We could see some famous battles between Verstappen and Schumacher after Hamilton has moved up into the commentary box.
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