Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes that Max Verstappen has managed to destroy title rival Lewis Hamilton “psychologically” in the 2021 F1 season.
Last season witnessed a fierce competition between Hamilton and Verstappen, which ended with the latter winning the title following the chaos of the safety car in Abu Dhabi, to start a fierce media war between the two.
“Max was able to control everything, including mentally, and he was pushing with all his might because he had nothing to lose,” Horner said.
He continued, “Lewis had a lot of things to lose, because he was a 7-time world champion and was a title holder, while Max was a young man looking forward to success.”
He added: “Max had a great performance last year and his transgressions were great, and I think that caused a great nerve for Lewis, and we saw how many mistakes he made.”
He continued: “What is happening in the tournament in terms of competition is good for the sport in general, and we have to maintain the same level, and we have seen the results of that this season, where many teams participate in the competition for victories and the podium.”