Max Verstappen has admitted he has stopped using the words ‘Lewis Hamilton’ and ‘Mercedes’ as the incredibly tense and ultra-close 2021 world championship battle finally concludes on Sunday. 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, however, said the credit should be given to the “magic” of Verstappen’s best lap. “He will never admit that, of course, but I am definitely not afraid of him.”. In addition to the Perez tow, Red Bull may have played another strategic blinder in qualifying – with Hamilton suspecting his rival faked a flat-spot on the medium tyre in order to catch Mercedes out with a late switch to softs.

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