Max Verstappen made an important decision the morning after.

Everyone should recognize at first glance who is the boss in the ring when Formula 1 circles again from March 2022.

And so the, for the time being, official new Formula 1 world champion chose a new start number.

In keeping with the title, it will be stuck on his 2022 Red Bull: the number one.

Since 2014 this tradition has been suspended by the pilots, probably with the friendly help of the rulers.

Anno Hecker

Responsible editor for sports.

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Why simple when things get complicated: 44 - 33 - 99, these are not ideal dimensions for recognizing the hierarchy at first glance, but fancy digits or signs of individualization on the bolide. The common observer needs an explanation if he wants to know what the number actually stands for. Verstappen only makes it unequivocally clear where he has been seeing himself for a long time, for example since 2015, when he was 18.

It is not to be expected that the second of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and thus the second in the World Championship standings will now stick the two onto the chassis. Especially since Lewis Hamilton (# 44) is widely recognized in his home country as the world champion of hearts, supported by his flawless tour in the emirate and the sometimes blatant presentation by English commentators that the compatriot is the eighth world title, the record, by a decision by the race director was stolen in the last round. His fan base, 26 million followers on Instagram alone, not only nodded in agreement.

It fits into the picture that Hamilton is in the process of ennobling. Queen Elisabeth II herself will be knighted on Wednesday for the almost 37-year-old Formula 1 superstar. As if the monarch of the century had long known when it was time to raise a subject of this size. In fact, this award was already clear in 2020. The delay caused by the pandemic is also good. If it weren't for Eddie Jordan or his passion for brightening up the Formula 1 world at any time of the day with his comments: “He's the best driver I've ever seen,” says the former Jordan team boss, “but he is has become too soft. He opened the door. “The tough Max.

Jordan has seen many drivers in his life and smuggled them through his team with profitable mercantile skill, if they were not torn out of his hands immediately after the first race for their own good - and not to his detriment (a certain Michael Schumacher, for example). But where Jordan looked, as the best driver he ever saw shot Verstappen off the track during both home Grand Prix races at Silverstone, remains his secret. Whatever that was, an elegant push, a clever maneuver, a racing accident or a foul without adequate punishment, as Red Bull thinks, the crash certainly did not document one thing: the change from Hamilton to wimp.

How you can and will recognize this: the reaction of the seven-time world champion.

Relapses, low blows, and hostility trigger the feeling of having to convert this negative energy into a tremendous drive.

This resulted in 103 (!) Victories.

83 more than Verstappen.

At this point, the actual race started on Sunday under the eyes of six million Dutch among the 17.41 million compatriots.

Will Hamilton ever be overtaken?

Verstappen would have what it takes.

If he learns to leave out one aspect of the karting style that actually harmed him: toughness.

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