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How Verstappen reacted to question about missing Lewis Hamilton battles

Originally posted on HITC | By David Comerford | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 6:43 AM ET

Since their infamous 2021 title fight, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have yet to stage a true rematch—a gap that stands out in their rivalry.

Hamilton came into the 2022 season looking for payback after Verstappen’s controversial win in Abu Dhabi, but it didn’t take long to realise Mercedes weren’t going to be up to the task.

Verstappen then went on to dominate the first three seasons under the new regulations, while Hamilton never really got close—finishing over 200 points behind each time. They had a few scraps along the way, but they were far from the high-stakes battles fans had hoped for.

This season looks set to break Verstappen’s streak, but Hamilton’s move to Ferrari hasn’t exactly put him back in contention either. Maybe 2026 will give us another chapter in their story, though with all the changes coming, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll have the edge.

Why Verstappen feels no nostalgia for his rivalry with Hamilton

Verstappen spoke to Mundo Deportivo about whether he feels the absence of Hamilton as a title rival. The 2021 season, marked by their intense head-to-head battles, remains one of the most memorable in Formula 1 history.

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The Dutchman credited that rivalry for shaping him as a driver. Entering the season at just 23, he was up against a seven-time world champion and learned plenty from it.

Even so, Verstappen stopped short of saying he misses those times. Since then, drivers like Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris have offered brief resistance during his title runs, but nothing matched the intensity of what happened in 2021.

“No… ‘missing’ is a very strong term,” he said. “I appreciate the struggle I had at that time.”

Does Max Verstappen see 2021 as his favourite title win?

Verstappen was also asked whether his 2024 title edges 2021. He won seven out of the first ten Grands Prix to establish a comfortable lead that season, but Red Bull slipped to third or even fourth in the pecking order as the year wore on.

Norris and McLaren chipped away at the advantage, but never got closer than 44 points. That was a testament to Verstappen’s almost robotic consistency, even when he wasn’t winning races.

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He was reluctant to expressly rank it above 2021, though. Verstappen was also responsible for the most dominant season the sport has ever seen in 2023 when he won over 80% of the races.

“The 2024 season is one I’m very proud of, without a doubt, in terms of how we managed things and how we optimised the car’s performance,” he said. “But for me, every championship has a special meaning, of course.”

“It’s different [to 2021]. All titles are different and I think that’s what makes them so beautiful.”

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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