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It was the most dramatic grand prixA French term meaning "Great Prize". It was originally applied to a horse race, the Grand Prix de Paris. There are around 20 Formula 1 races per season, each called the Grand Prix of the country or region it is held in. in years. The race had to be stopped twice. Lewis HamiltonThe 37-year-old British driver has been world champion seven times and won more Formula 1 races (103) than anyone else. wanted to win the world title for the eighth time. He just had two races left to take the lead.

His biggest mission? Beat Max VerstappenA 24-year-old Belgian-Dutch driver. His father also raced in Formula 1.. The race was tough. Hamilton did not have time for a pit-stop. He had old tyres. He was in the lead. But he was going slowly. Verstappen overtook him and won.

This was the end of last year's F1 season. Now, Lewis Hamilton is back. And he wants to win this time.

The new season began on the weekend. 

Fans say the rivalry between Hamilton and Verstappen will make this year even more dramatic.

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Others are excited because there are lots of new fans. A Netflix series called Drive to Survive is about F1 drivers. It has made the sport much more popular.

This season is also thrilling because there are new cars. They will be heavier and with bigger wheels. But their shape has also been changed to make overtaking easier.

F1 also says this year's "cars are safer, use more... sustainable fuel and should look dramatically different to previous years".

Fans say these changes make racing even better. Critics say it is proof that F1 is all about mechanics, not the drivers at all.

Yes! To be a good racing driver you must be very skilled and thoughtful. And you have to be strong: racing drivers are very fit. Watching F1 is about the drivers. Fans love drama like the Hamilton-Verstappen battle.

No. Formula 1 is all about the cars and the people who make them. A better car will always do better in a race. There are some good drivers, but winning is not down to them.