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The rise of one world champion and the return of another

There were moments during the dramatic 2021 Formula 1 title contest when Max Verstappen still looked a little raw. The occasional mistake and regularly overstepping the mark in wheel-to-wheel fights with Lewis Hamilton showed that he perhaps wasn’t quite the full package, even though Verstappen took the crown in the farcical Abu Dhabi finale.

But there has been far less of that this year. Verstappen has been fair in his fights with Charles Leclerc and, even in the events where he has had to come through the field (such as at Spa and Monza), he has shown patience and an ability to let a race come to him rather than desperation.

How much of this is due to Verstappen maturing and how much can be put down to the different circumstances (and cars) of 2022 is the subject of Alex Kalinauckas’s in-depth analysis, which starts on page 14.

Verstappen won’t admit to a change of approach but there is evidence that he is continuing to improve. After all, he is still only 24! The real test, of course, would be the rematch with Hamilton and Mercedes many hoped we’d get this year. Perhaps in 2023…

Another world champion starred at the brilliant Goodwood Revival last weekend. Jenson Button looked set to take his first win on UK soil since October 1999 before trouble struck. It’s probably fair to say that some of the cars were rather more historic than others, but there was plenty of superb driving and great racing, as Marcus Pye highlights in our bumper report on p32.

Kevin Turner Chief Editor kevin.turner@autosport.com

NEXT WEEK 29 SEPTEMBER The next star F1 rookie We take a look at two drivers with big F1 expectations for 2023

COVER IMAGE Mark Thompson/Getty Images/ Red Bull Content Pool

PIT & PADDOCK 4 De Vries gets chance as Herta quest fails 6 IndyCar star Palou to stay at Ganassi! 8 Barrichello joins Fisichella for Ferrari win 9 Opinion: Alex Kalinauckas 11 Opinion: James Newbold 13 Feedback: your letters

INSIGHT 14 Has F1’s bad boy really changed? 22 WRC and tin-top stars swap cars 26 Learning at the Skip Barber school

RACE CENTRE 32 Button stars at Goodwood Revival 40 World of Sport: Super GT; World

Rallycross; NASCAR Cup; NASCAR Xfinity; GT World Challenge Europe; MotoGP

CLUB AUTOSPORT 53 Fortec back as British F4 grid hits 20 54 Golhar emerges unhurt a er Snett roll 56 More to come from BRM V16 a er debut 59 Opinion: Marcus Pye 60 National reports: Cadwell Park;

Snetterton; Knockhill; Donington Park; Brands Hatch; Silverstone; Cro

FINISHING STRAIGHT 70 What’s on this week 72 From the archive: 1958 Belgian GP 74 My favourite car: Jerome d’Ambrosio

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22 SEPTEMBER 2022 AUTOSPORT.COM 3