Hamilton-Vettel battle 'electrifying' for F1

Hamilton-Vettel battle 'electrifying' for F1

Originally written by Joas van Wingerden. This version is a translation.

Friday 10 August 2018 15:39

The battle for supremacy in Formula 1 between Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton is "electrifying" and puts the 2018 season on a par with other great sporting rivalries, says Chase Carey. Hamilton leads Vettel by 24 points in the summer break, although it belies how close the fight has been so far.

The lead of the championship has changed hands five times across the opening 12 races of 2018 as Ferrari have overtaken Mercedes in F1's power battle, only for Vettel's errors to see that advantage spurned on several occasions.

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Mercedes' dominance being tested has breathed fresh life into F1, with the Silver Arrows having swept all titles since the dawn of the V6 hybrid era in 2014.

Although they once again lead both the drivers' and constructors' standings, Carey believes the star power of Hamilton and Vettel's battle has added a fresh dimension to the sport.

"The two biggest stars are going head to head. The advantage we have in F1 is that, like football, we have teams that fight each other," Carey said.

"But we also have these man against man duels. And when two such different characters meet, it's electrifying.

"Vettel against Hamilton is as epic as John McEnroe against Jimmy Connors. Both are great champions fighting with everything they have, and in their case it's for their fifth world title."