November 12, (THEWILL) – Despite the fact that the title race between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will be fought until the very last race, the Dutch driver has given himself time to ponder about winning the trophy, stating that if he wins the championship, he will place the number one on his car.
Hamilton, a multiple world champion, is an exception in that sense, having raced with the number 44 throughout his career, but the Dutchman would like to flip that.
“I would change to number one without a doubt,” Verstappen said straightforwardly. “I have already used it in other categories.
“How many times do you have the opportunity to race with that number? It would be good for marketing and it seems like a smart decision to me.”
A defending champion has not raced with the number one on their car since 2014, with Sebastian Vettel being the most recent to do so.
Hamilton has never changed his number from 44, while Nico Rosberg has never competed as the reigning champion, as he retired as soon as he was crowned.
With Verstappen already holding a 19-point lead over his British competitor, Formula One’s return to Brazil on Sunday might be significant in the title battle.
With only three races remaining, a victory in Brazil would leave him at least 25 points ahead of Hamilton, which would be close to an unassailable advantage considering the Red Bull car’s dependability this season.
With rumours of a power unit change being forced upon him, Hamilton will actually have to start the race with a five-place grid penalty.
Although Mercedes has not confirmed this, it is likely that Hamilton will have to do things the hard way at Interlagos if he wants to chip away at Verstappen’s lead.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
