Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft believes Max Verstappen might be forced to change his driving style if he goes up against Lewis Hamilton again for the world championship.Verstappen and Hamilton famously went head-to-head for the 2021 title.

Since then, the pair have had contrasting fortunes, with Verstappen running away with two more titles, while Hamilton has remained winless since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Croft thinks if Verstappen and Hamilton duel it out again for a world championship then the Red Bull driver might have to adjust his approach.

“I don’t think Max is a dirty driver,” he said. “I think, at one stage, he was, in the early part of his career, overly aggressive at times,” he said. But I think he’s finessed that a little bit now.

“What I do think is, the day we get Lewis and Max racing wheel to wheel again and – let’s face it, that was one hell of a season – when we get that, Max might just change his driving style just a little bit more, because he knows how good Lewis is.”

Croft is hopeful Mercedes can get their act together and give Hamilton a car capable of challenging Verstappen and Red Bull on a regular basis in 2024.

“Lewis is a seven-time F1 World Champion, and he knows that he’s got to get his elbows out just a little bit,” Croft added.

“I think Lewis knows he’s got to get his elbows out a little bit with Max as well. That’s why it’s proper box office.

“So my real hope for this year is that we actually get a Mercedes car that is a bit more on par with the Red Bull car.”