Lewis Hamilton vs Max Verstappen: The crashes, controversies and close calls to have shaped the season

F1 Grand Prix of Italy
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The outcome of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship will be decided at Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after a season-long title fight which could not be more evenly poised with both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen level on points in the drivers’ standings.

As the 1 paddock packed up in Jeddah, there was yet more bad blood between drivers and their teams alike.

The on-track duels at the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix are nothing new in a season awash with crashes and close calls.

Standard Sport looks back at some of the most controversial moments from the season...

The Bahrain Grand Prix

In the grand scheme of things, the events at the opening race of the season were barely a ripple on the surface of what would prove to be a tumultuous season.

Verstappen lunged past Hamilton on lap 53 to take the race lead but was ordered to give back the position as punishment for exceeding track limits, just as happened at last weekend’s race in Saudi Arabia.

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix

Imola marked the first moment of contact between the title rivals, not a game-changing moment in itself, but in the grand scheme of things it almost set the ground rules for the season.

After a much stronger start from third on the grid, Verstappen got alongside polesitter Hamilton and was inside him at Tamburello. It forced Hamilton to brake late and hit the kerbs to avoid a proper clash but the Brit still touched with Verstappen on his return to the track. It was rightly deemed nothing more than a racing incident.

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Spanish Grand Prix

Yet more aggression from Verstappen put Hamilton out of kilter, with the seven-time champion having to go wide and essentially give up track position to the Dutchman to evade contact.

Hamilton labelled it “aggressive” while his take on his own race was “I don’t get too aggressive when I don’t need to be”. His more measured approach was rewarded with the win.

British Grand Prix

The first real time the season erupted came at Silverstone, in a moment Red Bull are still annoyed about judging by the comments of motorsport consultant Helmut Marko in Saudi.

In the main race, the title protagonists crashed at 180mph at Copse on lap one, Verstappen’s right rear tyre destroyed by contact and hitting the barrier. Hamilton was hit with a 10-second penalty but still won while Verstappen was angry as he watched the Briton “disrespectful” celebrations while he was sitting in a hospital bed.

Italian Grand Prix

Quite probably the most dramatic moment of the season between the pair, with both cars side-by-side on the track after differing pitstops.

With both drivers vying for the race lead, they again clashed, coming into the gravel trap with Verstappen’s Red Bull parked on top of Hamilton’s Mercedes. Verstappen was judged to have been the one at fault and was given a three-place grid penalty for the subsequent race weekend.

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

A race packed with incident, first with Verstappen sliding his way up the inside to take the lead as Hamilton was pushing to pass then race leader Esteban Ocon.

Twice in the race, Verstappen was ordered to give back the lead to Hamilton having obtained it unfairly by going outside the track limits but the Dutchman controversially braked, causing his title rival to drive into the back of him. Remarkably, neither driver suffered sufficient damage to affect their races, Hamilton winning to Verstappen’s second to level up the championship.

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