Will Max Verstappen hold on to secure a fourth straight title in F1 2024?

Max Verstappen

Adrian Newey believes the pressure was starting to get to Max Verstappen in his epic 2021 World Championship battle with Lewis Hamilton, calling Verstappen “a bit out of order” in Brazil that year.

As Verstappen and Red Bull rose in 2021 to challenge Hamilton’s streak of Formula 1 dominance – having claimed four titles in a row – the title protagonists found themselves involved in several fierce battles and collisions, their Silverstone and Monza incidents living long in the mem ory.Adrian Newey: Max Verstappen ‘a bit out of order’ at 2021 Brazilian GP

But Red Bull’s former F1 design guru Adrian Newey – who will join Aston Martin in F1 2025 – drew attention to the intense scrap between Verstappen and Hamilton in Brazil that year, both drivers taking to the Turn 4 run-off at one stage as Hamilton looked to go around the outside, while Verstappen went late on the brakes.

Hamilton went on to make the overtake and win the race, further ramping up the pressure on Verstappen and Red Bull, with Newey claiming that Verstappen was fortunate to escape a penalty, ultimately crossing the line P2, ten-and-a-half seconds behind Hamilton.

Asked during the High Performance Podcast whether Verstappen – now a three-time World Champion after going on to take his first crown in 2021 – ever shows signs of cracking, Newey replied: “I think a little bit perhaps in his championship win in ’21.

Max Verstappen

“Where the intensity, particularly after Silverstone, on track, between Lewis and Max became so intense, I think Max had very strong feelings on that Silverstone ac cident.