F1 | Verstappen-Hamilton in the last act, let the battle be masculine but fair

There is very little left now and the lights will come on on the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi for the last round of the season which will pit Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, who arrived in the Emirates tied at the top of the Drivers' Championship. A situation which reflects even more a state of uncertainty which characterized a championship lived with the heart in one's mouth for the majority of the matches, by virtue of the emotions and twists that followed one another, effectively marking out a rivalry (at competitive) which were hardly conceivable last winter.

Formula 1 is therefore not a finished sport, as some fans wanted to believe, especially considering the last few years which have shown an embarrassing dominance of Mercedes, but it is a category that still knows how to offer the right appeal. But at the same time in a very tough, bloody, no-holds-barred rivalry, there were moments of tension that conditioned it. Even in Jeddah, where unfortunately we witnessed an amateurish management by the race direction who actually negotiated penalties, we witnessed some episodes that were boring and that almost took away the right enthusiasm that characterized the intense battle between Verstappen and Hamilton.

Duels to the death are absolutely welcome (before 2021 we were in strong withdrawal), but seeing them repeated in the way we have witnessed recently is something that is not good. Which disheartens rather than creates interest. The one between Verstappen and Hamilton has been compared, erroneously, to the rivalry between Senna and Prost but the episodes full of controversy that have characterized the careers of the Brazilian and the Frenchman are strictly two (Suzuka '89 and '90), while in the case of Dutch and English are starting to become too many. And they're starting to get really dry. Also favored by a Federation that let it go without making strong decisions in crucial moments, fueling a useless rodeo rather than quelling it in time.

We are witnessing an anarchy, a reckoning, a demolition derby which is absolutely not good for you. The hope is that in Abu Dhabi we can witness a tough but fair race between Verstappen and Hamilton. Unfortunately, the risk of yet another accident affecting the championship victory exists, especially after last week's tensions. Let's hope it remains just a hypothesis and has no practical outlet in reality.

It would send the wrong message and above all it would taint a spectacular season, to say the least, with a possible new collision. And that wouldn't be the case at all...

Piero Ladisa

Follow @PieroLadisa