Honour to whom honour is due! Lewis Hamilton, an honorary citizen of Brazil, watched as Max Verstappen became the hero of ‘his’ São Paulo this weekend. After a phenomenal comeback race on a rainy Interlagos, the Dutchman followed in the footsteps of Ayrton Senna. While Hamilton himself barely scored points, he had no choice but to congratulate his rival on a ‘great’ triumph.
Max Verstappen posted an appropriate photo on Instagram after his victory in São Paulo – of course. After four months without a win, the Dutchman secured victory once again. Verstappen and the Red Bull team celebrated this victory as if it were his first Formula 1 triumph. This is not surprising: Verstappen was able to add a whopping twenty-six points at Interlagos, dealing a significant blow to title rival Lando Norris.
Lewis Hamilton also saw Verstappen’s photo appear on his timeline. “What a great race, congratulations,” wrote the 39-year-old Brit in the comments. During the 2021 championship, the two drivers were each other’s biggest rivals, but nowadays the mutual respect seems greater than ever. Hamilton was not the only former champion to speak up. “Fantastic driving, congratulations,” responded Fernando Alonso, another admirer of Verstappen.
