Max Verstappen’s 2021 Vision Struggle: A Hidden Battle Revealed
Racing with Blurred Vision: Verstappen's 2021 Challenge

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, a triple world champion, revealed a surprising and concerning aspect of his 2021 F1 season. During a press conference at the Hungarian Grand Prix, Verstappen disclosed that he raced with blurred vision following a collision with Lewis Hamilton at the British Grand Prix. This issue persisted for several races as he competed against the Mercedes driver for the title.
Verstappen’s admission came after his comments were quoted in the team’s Red Bulletin, raising safety concerns among fans and experts. He recounted that the vision problems were severe enough during the U.S. Grand Prix that he considered turning off his car.
“I’ve never said this before, but it was so bad for a few laps that I seriously considered turning the car off,” Verstappen said. These remarks were later removed from the publication.
The Extent and Resolution of the Issue
The visibility problems were specifically a 2021 issue and did not persist beyond that season, Verstappen clarified. He confirmed that the problem began after his high-speed crash at Silverstone, which had required him to undergo hospital checks.
“It didn’t happen before. We are racing drivers. You deal with all sorts of stuff. Always here and there people have little injuries or whatever. Those things happen,” Verstappen explained. Fortunately, the issue was eventually resolved. “It got cured, luckily. I don’t want to go into detail, no one needs to know.”
Moving Forward: Verstappen’s Current Form
In the 2024 season, Verstappen has demonstrated dominant form, leading the championship by 84 points with 12 of 24 races remaining. He is on track for his fourth consecutive title, having already secured seven race wins this year. However, he faces tough competition in Hungary, with Mercedes aiming for their third consecutive win and McLaren showing strong performance.
Max Verstappen’s resilience and ability to overcome such challenges underscore his remarkable prowess as a driver. As he continues to lead the championship, his past struggles serve as a testament to the physical and mental demands of Formula 1 racing.