Hamilton vs Verstappen title battle likened to Squid Game by Christian Horner

12/10/2021

Red Bull chief Christian Horner compared Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s titanic F1 title tussle to Netflix ’s Squid Game.

The 2021 F1 season has thrilled from start to finish thanks to the world championship race between Mercedes’ Hamilton and Red Bull’s Verstappen – with plenty of controversy spilling over.

The two men have won 17 races between them this season, with the Dutchman claiming nine victories to Hamilton’s eight and they head into the finale of the season remarkably level on points.

Hamilton, 36, can break Michael Schumacher's all-time record world title haul at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the closing race of what could be considered his most difficult campaign to date.

The rivalry between Hamilton and Verstappen, 24, intensified after the pair collided again at last Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where the Dutchman was served 15 seconds of penalties.

Mercedes star Hamilton pulled level on points at the summit of the drivers' standings after securing a third straight win at Jeddah, but he still trails Verstappen eight to nine in race victories this season.

For the first time since 1974, two drivers will enter the last race of a season neck-and-neck.

Their battle has been so intense, it has been compared to the hit Korean Netflix show by Red Bull’s team principal.

Who will win the world title? Drop your prediction in the comments section.

In Squid Game, competitors play a series of games and try to survive, with the last person standing winning a huge cash prize.

"It almost feels like Squid Game that we have ended up here on equal points.” Horner said at the pre-race press conference..

"It has been tense, frustrating on occasions, we have pushed the limits, pushed each other and pushed our competitors and here we are at the final race for the showdown.

"I think that the way we have fought the way we have pushed in this campaign, no-one has come close to challenging this team in the last eight years and here we are in the final race in with a shot, a long shot in the constructors and a equal shot with drivers.”

Verstappen is feeling confident ahead of the season's final race and made a bold statement aimed at his loyal Dutch fans.

He declared: "[Dutch fans] should switch on the TV on Sunday because something nice is going to happen… I'm going to win."

Hamilton on the other hand, admitted a record eighth world title would be his most satisfying one yet.

He explained: "If we seal the deal, I think as a team this will be the greatest one that we've earned."

The drivers have clashed on several occasions this season, and amid fears they may collide again, David Coulthard compared the modern sport to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

"If we look at UFC (sic), as far as I know there’s only two rules and it’s about below the belt and it’s about the eyes, and everything else goes," the former McLaren and Red Bull driver told the F1 Nation Podcast.

"This now feels like Formula 1 has been redefined as F1 UFC, and pretty much anything is going, and then the stewards are stepping in."

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