Staggering Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton comparison that shows the contrasting fates of the two drivers since the 2021 F1 Abu Dhabi GP

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton served up one of the greatest title battles in the sport's history in 2021, but have had contrasting fortunes since.

Verstappen won his third consecutive championship after finishing P2 in the Sprint Race at the Lusail International Circuit on Saturday. The Dutch driver has had a record-breaking 2023 season, winning 13 out of the 16 completed races so far. With six races to go, he will surely add to his tally.

Since Abu Dhabi 2021, Max Verstappen has won 28 races, while Lewis Hamilton is yet to win one. The Dutchman has also won three titles in that time, while Hamilton is yet to add to his record seven.

Surprisingly, the Briton has only notched up one pole position since the controversial ending of the Abu Dhabi GP in 2021.

With Mercedes clearly struggling in the new generation of cars, it is doubtful whether Hamilton will be able to challenge the Red Bull driver anytime soon.

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Max Verstappen picks his best title win after securing P2 in Sprint

Max Verstappen has said that his 2023 title run has been his best as he has been dominant throughout the season.

In his Champion's Press Conference, the Red Bull driver said:

"This one is the best one. I think the first one was the most emotional one because that's when your dreams are fulfilled in F1. But this one is definitely… It has been my best year. Yeah, well, so far, you know, consecutive wins and stuff like that, and the car itself has been probably in the best shape as well. So for me, this one is probably the one I’m most proud of in a way because of consistency."

He added that despite already securing the title, his approach for the remaining races won't change. He said:

"For example today, I know, of course, that I only needed to score three points to win the championship but I still want to win, I'm still out there to try and do the best I can. That's got to be the same tomorrow."

"When I go to the next race I will try to win again because we have a great car. I know that people around us are catching up maybe a little bit. So here and there it becomes quite tight. But the mindset is pretty much the same."

It will be interesting to see if Max Verstappen can go undefeated for the remaining races and get 19 race wins in a season.