Montoya says Hamilton's fierce Verstappen battle at Austria proves he never forgets 2021

Juan Pablo Montoya has argued that Lewis Hamilton’s combative battle with Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix was no coincidence, insisting the Ferrari driver is still driven by the scars of their 2021 championship war. George Russell won the race at the Red Bull Ring from pole position, but the defining subplot was a fierce mid-race duel between the two former title rivals.

Hamilton and Verstappen traded positions in a tense back-and-forth that stopped just short of contact. Hamilton was briefly investigated by the stewards for potentially forcing Verstappen off the circuit, but no further action was taken.

Montoya, speaking in a post-race broadcast, was unequivocal about what he saw. “I think the racing was really good,” he said. “I think sometimes people forget what happened between Max and Lewis before, and Lewis doesn’t forget. When you’re a driver, and they run you over before, you don’t forget, and if you can give it to them, you will all the way. And that’s what we saw today. It was unbelievable. I was giggling watching that.”

The history Montoya references runs deep. The 2021 season produced one of Formula 1’s most contentious title fights, with Hamilton chasing an eighth world championship and Verstappen hunting his first. The campaign was punctuated by collisions at Silverstone, Monza, and Jeddah before culminating in the controversial Abu Dhabi finale, where a late safety-car restart handed Verstappen his maiden drivers’ title.

Since that night in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen has added three more championships, while Hamilton spent subsequent seasons wrestling with an underperforming Mercedes before making his high-profile move to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 campaign.

At the Red Bull Ring, Verstappen recovered from fifth on the grid to finish second behind Russell. Hamilton, who had started third, crossed the line in fifth — but it was the battle between the two that gave the race much of its edge.