Max Verstappen 'considered retiring' from Hamilton battle as unusual struggles explained

Max Verstappen has revealed that he nearly ‘turned the car off’ while leading the 2021 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas. The Dutchman was struggling with blurred vision, which he first experienced after his high-impact crash at Silverstone earlier that year.

On that occasion, the Red Bull driver was sent into the barrier on the outside of Copse at high speed after his rear-right wheel was tagged by an understeering Lewis Hamilton on the entry to the corner. The Brit went on to win the race, despite a 10-second penalty, while Verstappen suffered lasting consequences.

The 2021 clash in Texas came as tensions were building between Verstappen and Hamilton. The pair made contact in Monza just three races prior front, but the United States GP was a clean encounter with the Dutchman holding onto victory by just over 1.3 seconds following a strategic masterclass from the Red Bull pit wall.

Speaking to the Red Bulletin about his experience, Verstappen said: "Since my Silverstone crash, I've struggled with visibility problems, especially on undulating circuits or those with lots of advertising boards on the side of the track. In this race, I wasn't just fighting against Lewis, but also against blurred images.

"It was like driving a speedboat at 300 km/h! I've never said this before, but it was so bad for a few laps that I seriously considered turning the car off. The only thing that helped was to concentrate on my breathing with Lewis breathing down my neck. An important win that I desperately needed in the championship fight."

After taking to the top step of the podium in Austin, Verstappen went on to win two of the following five rounds. Sandwiched in the middle of those was a three-race winning streak for Hamilton, who headed into the season finale with momentum on his side.

However, despite Hamilton snatching the lead at Turn One and commanding the race from out front, it was Verstappen who was crowned world champion at the chequered flag when a controversial late safety car protocol gave him a shot at overtaking his rival on the final lap.

Verstappen and Hamilton experienced a renewal of their rivalry last weekend at the British Grand Prix. The pair have rarely fought wheel-to-wheel since the 2021 title fight ended, but Mercedes’ return to prominence triggered a close battle at Silverstone with the home hero eventually winning out, ending his 945-day winless streak in the process.",