On Sunday, Lewis Hamilton (36) had to see himself beaten by rival Max Verstappen (24) in a highly dramatic World Cup duel. Now the Mercedes boss says he is unsure whether Hamilton will continue as a Formula 1 driver.
– I really hope that Lewis continues, because he is the best driver of all time, says team manager for Mercedes, Toto Wolff, according to Sky Sports.
But when asked directly whether the audience will see the man with seven world championship titles chasing his eighth next season, Wolff answers the following: “It is not certain.”
Although Hamilton signed a new two-year contract with the team before this season, it is speculated that the last race of the season left too deep a mark on the Briton for him to continue.
– It will take a long time for us to digest what happened on Sunday. I never think we will overcome it, it is not possible, and certainly not for him (Hamilton) who leads. I really hope that the two of us and the rest of the team can work our way through the events … But he will never overcome the pain.
The World Formula 1 Championship was decided in a very dramatic way in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Just one round before the end, everything was turned upside down. After being behind the safety car for five laps, Max Verstappen was allowed to crawl all the way up the back of Lewis Hamilton before the restart.
With newer and better tires than the rival, there was nothing Hamilton could do on the final lap, where he was easily passed by the Dutchman.
Thus, Verstappen became world champion for the first time in his career, and the rivalry between the two did not diminish.
“Sometimes we hated each other,” Verstappen told the British BBC.
But after the final, Verstappen revealed that the relationship between the two fighting cocks, who have been critical of each other a number of times, is now on its way to normalization.
It happens after they shared a moment behind the scenes after the final on Sunday.
– We looked each other in the eyes. We did not say much to each other, but there was an understanding there. You have to appreciate the match we had fought, says the 24-year-old.
During the season, the two had several clashes. Perhaps the best memory is the violent crash on Silverstone, where Verstappen thundered in the tire barrier at well over 280 kilometers per hour.
Hamilton won the race. Verstappen believes his World Cup title is deserved, and that he has met a lot of opposition this year.
– Some say that the victory was luck. But we’ve had a lot of bad luck this year. Had we not had it, the championship would have been decided long before. Sometimes you need a little luck, says Verstappen, who makes no secret of the fact that he disagrees with many of the decisions the race management has made this season.
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