EXCLUSIVE: F1 legend reveals difference between champs

Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, 2023, Social — Photo: © IMAGO

GPFans Exclusive

EXCLUSIVE: F1 legend reveals difference between champs

How complacency and anger make the difference between Verstappen and Hamilton

By Jim Kimberley.

Friday 12 April 2024 05:00

There's no questioning that Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are some of the sport's greats.

For another world champion, there's a notable difference between the two in how they tackle the sport while on the top.

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Speaking exclusively to GPFans, the 1997 title winner Jacques Villeneuve detailed why it's not the younger years that are enabling Verstappen's near-continuous march to victory.

Hamilton needs pushing

"It's not the age," said Villeneuve. "It's the years of easygoing. If you don't have a teammate who pushes you, who doesn't remind you that every day is a new day where you have to reinvent yourself, then you become complacent. That happens to every champion.

"That's why Verstappen has been so impressive because he doesn't get complacent, no matter how easy he wins.

"He knows there's always someone behind ready to eat you alive and to steal your spot."

Verstappen gets 'angry'

Villeneuve looked to Verstappen's third title as an example of the high level the three-time champion operates and why it differs from Hamilton's time-winning titles.

"Even in the last race [of 2023], after having won almost every race of the season, the championship by miles...

"If he's a tenth off, he still gets angry as if it was the first race of the season, and that's what keeps him up there.

"Lewis had too many years with Valtteri Bottas. Not all of them were easy, but those easy years at the end of Mercedes had a negative effect.

"Going to Ferrari will maybe rekindle the victorious Lewis that we've seen."

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Jacques Villeneuve