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F1 journalist Tom Clarkson has claimed that Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton shared a friendly moment on media day during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The two title contenders for the 2021 season were paired together for the FIA press conference, which Clarkson hosts on race weekends.
He revealed that he was hoping to ask the title rivals to have a “cheesy handshake” for the “newspapers”. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, however, shared a friendly fist bump when they met each other on the Thursday before the season finale at Yas Marina.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Clarkson said:
“Max (Verstappen) arrives early, sits down and we are just having a chat. About three minutes later, Lewis (Hamilton) walks in, walks straight over, fist-bumps him, and goes ‘how you doin’, man?’ and they have a bit of a chat. I thought ‘brilliant, that’s the shot, I don’t need to worry about this cheesy handshake thing anymore’.”
Clarkson was later disappointed to learn that the friendly moment between the drivers wasn’t captured on camera.
“We had a Netflix camera in there. We had the two cameras we have in the press conference room anyway. There was even a photographer in there as well. So, the press conference happens, and they have a good natter.”
“And then at the end, I said to the Netflix guy, ‘Ah, you must have enjoyed the fist-bump’. And he goes, ‘Oh, I missed it, mate, I missed it’.”
“So, nobody knows about this fist-bump except for me and the people in [there], about three others in the room!”
The intense battle for the championship between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen this season led to an acrimonious rivalry between the pair, especially after their controversial collisions in Silverstone, Monza, Sao Paulo, and Jeddah.
Since the season finale, however, both have been complimentary of each other. Lewis Hamilton was gracious in defeat and congratulated Max Verstappen and Red Bull during post-race interviews in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Verstappen has paid tribute to the former on several occasions since his victory, calling Lewis Hamilton a “great sportsman”.
Max Verstappen says he thanked Lewis Hamilton “for an amazing season”
Max Verstappen has revealed that he thanked Lewis Hamilton in the Abu Dhabi paddock for making the 2021 season “amazing”. The conversation happened when Hamilton congratulated him after losing his bid for an eighth title on the last lap of the race.
In an interview with former F1 driver David Coulthard for Red Bull sponsor CarNext, Verstappen said:
“I was- and the whole team - were going crazy. But of course, you also have the other side, where they are very disappointed and upset.”
“I think what was nice was Lewis (Hamilton) immediately came to me (and said), ‘Well done, congrats.’ And I said, ‘Thank you very much for an amazing season.’ Because at the end of the day I think it was.”
“Whoever won or came second, we did push each other every single race to the limit with ourselves, but also the car and the whole team.”
Despite the intensity of the season, title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have always managed to maintain their composure and be respectful towards each other.
Meanwhile, their respective team bosses, Christian Horner and Toto Wolff, have often made controversial statements about each other, inflaming the acrimony among the fans.
Also Read: What is Lewis Hamilton’s Net worth?
