Max Verstappen gave everyone a surprise twist in his journey to become a Formula 1 champion. During his 2021 title run, Verstappen was not only fighting his rivals but also a personal battle with blurred vision.
Following a massive crash at the 2021 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the now three-time world champion began experiencing serious vision problems. Verstappen admitted, “Since my Silverstone crash, I’ve been struggling with visibility problems, especially on undulating courses or those with lots of advertising boards along the side of the track.”
The issue was so severe that it almost caused Verstappen to park his car mid-race. He compared the experience to “driving a speedboat at 300 km/h,” and revealed that during the United States Grand Prix, he “seriously considered turning the car off.” The only saving grace was focusing on his breathing while battling both the track and his main competitor, Lewis Hamilton.
These problems remained a well-guarded secret within his team. Verstappen’s inner circle and a specialist were the only ones aware of his condition. Despite the chaos, they worked on finding a remedy to resolve his vision issues.
When later asked about it, Verstappen confirmed, “Yeah, it was just in ‘21. After that, it went away. But it did occur back then.” The secrecy surrounding the issue might have added to the intense drama of the season. Verstappen preferred to keep the details about his recovery private, saying, “It’s not something that I would advise for people to have while driving. But we are racing drivers, you deal with all sorts of stuff.”
Max Verstappen’s championship run in 2021 was even more remarkable than fans initially thought. Battling not just fierce competition but also a difficult personal struggle with blurred vision, Verstappen’s determination and resilience shone through. As he continues to dominate the tracks, this hidden challenge adds another layer to his incredible journey in Formula 1.
Source: Motorsport
