Lewis Hamilton offers Max Verstappen relationship insight after epic 2021 duel

Lewis Hamilton has said that he has no issues with Max Verstappen ahead of the 2022 Formula 1 season and that the Dutchman did what any racing driver did at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as he took the championship on the final lap.

The closing stages of the 2021 season will live long in the memory as one of the most epic Formula 1 campaigns in history came to a dramatic and controversial crescendo.

Indeed, it was Verstappen who profited massively on the final lap as he had the opportunity on fresh tyres to overtake Hamilton after a Safety Car and contentious release of just a handful of lapped cars by Michael Masi.

Hamilton, though, says he has nothing bad to say about Max over that situation and that any driver would have done the same with what was at stake, before saying he’s looking forward to next year’s fight with the Red Bull man:

“This has nothing to do with Max. Max did everything a driver would do given the opportunity he was given,” he said.

“He’s a great competitor and we will go into another battle like last year and we will grow from our races and experiences we had last year through the season. No issues with him.”

It was a truly fantastic campaign last year and both drivers would have deserved the crown, but only one of them could take it.

It is just a shame, though, that it was decided so controversially rather than down to raw speed and skill on the day as, in fairness, Lewis seemed to have the measure of Max that particular Sunday afternoon in the Middle East.

Both, though, will be looking forward to going racing once more in 2022.