Ian Parkes & Remy Ramjiawan
Sunday, April 24, 2022 11:58 AM – Last update: 11:59 AM
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Max Verstappen believes he and title rival Charles Leclerc have grown ‘much more mature’ since their intense rivalry in karting and suggest that the duo can put up a clean fight in Formula 1 this season.
Reigning world champion Verstappen and his rival at Ferrari in the past often competed against each other in the karts. Since Leclerc’s debut in Formula 1, it had become inevitable that the two would meet again. It took several years, also because Ferrari was not competitive, but the two are battling for the title this year and it has remained friendly to this day.
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‘Lots of fights behind us’
Asked how their rivalry has changed, Verstappen said: “We’ve matured a lot. We’re in two top teams fighting for race wins and what happened in karting is something you can actually laugh about now. those were good times.” The fact that the two want to put up with each other says nothing about the mutual respect. “Basically we grew up through karting from, I think 12 years old and of course, we are very similar in age so we have already had a lot of kart fights. By now we have also just found our way in Formula 1” , explains the reigning world champion.
The Dutchman thinks it is nice that he sees many familiar faces from his youth. “Not just the two of us, but a lot of drivers we know including George [Russell]Carlos [Sainz], we saw each other on the kart tracks and now we are all here fighting with top teams. I hope it can continue like this for a long time,” he admits honestly.
‘Much more mature’
Returning to the rivalry he had with Leclerc, he explains: “I think it’s a very different situation.” The Monegask said the two hated each other in the past. “We’ve matured a lot, we’re a lot older, even though we’re still 24 years old, which is still quite young. In those days in karting, there were races and things where we hated each other, but then you grow up.” “, says the Red Bull driver. That heated relationship has cooled somewhat. “It’s great to fight in Formula 1 now and there is a lot of respect for each other, so it has definitely changed,” concludes the Dutchman.
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