Motorsport Bookmakers Consider F1 Crash Dilemma

Now that the gap between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen has been widened to a mountainous 19 points, and with only four races remaining of what has been a riveting 2021 season, the focus is once again on what may or may not happen. Especially as each drivers becomes more and more desperate to take the title and motorsport bookmakers odds fluctuate with every passing lap.

A big talking point this year has been two separate incidents involving on-track bumps and skirmishes. And while it certainly has been exciting stuff for new betting sites and for fans to watch the champions go wheel-to-wheel, the fact that both have (happily) stepped over the mark of what’s allowed and what’s not, could potentially mean more on-track drama to come.

Past Bashings

The first of the two incidents took place at Hamilton’s home-track at the British Grand Prix when Verstappen was seen hurtling into the barriers – with Hamilton later blamed for the first-lap collision.

Then at Monza, it would be Verstappen’s turn to carry the blame for crashing into Hamilton; a bashing that would send both busting out of the race.

Naturally, all of this, coupled with the ultimate rivalry of the season, now begs the question of when next another bashing could occur, and motorsport bookmakers are keeping a keen eye. And it’s a question certainly on the mind of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who recently suggested the possibility of a crash not unlike those between Senna and Prost during the final rounds of the 1989 and 1990 seasons.

Wolff told a prominent British newspaper that once the action reaches the last skirmish in Abu Dhabi, whoever happens to be in the lead will “absolutely” try to pull a similar stunt for getting ahead.

But Wolff’s expectations aside, Hamilton is a driver known for his “clean driving, very much unlike the likes of Prost, Senna, and even Michael Schumacher.

Nobody Wants A Fluke Win

In a response to Wolff’s comments, Hamilton said from his own personal point of view, he would never want to win a championship in a dubious sort of way. He said whenever he gets out onto a track, he’s there to win through skill and determination alone.

Even Red Bull team boss Christian Homer, a man not always known for cool or collected opinions, believes a championship win will not be decided by a collision between Hamilton and Verstappen. He said that ultimately, whoever wins this season, the biggest winner of them all will not be the winning driver or team, but rather Formula 1 as a sport. Or anyone who makes the right prediction at new betting sites.

Homer said nobody really wants to see 2021 decided against the barriers.