Max Verstappen has a firm hold on the third world championship, having won 13 of 16 races. The idea of securing the title in the forthcoming Sprint Race heightens the tension. Red Bull, who won their sixth world championship only a few weeks ago, is hoping for a double victory this weekend. Despite these incredible accomplishments, Lewis Hamilton claims that Max’s achievements do not place him among the all-time greats.
The Hamilton-Verstappen friendship is scarred by their bitter 2021 championship struggle, which was heightened by Max’s disputed last-lap victory. Following that, Max Verstappen won the championship in 2022, as Hamilton struggled with Mercedes’ performance fall. This season reflects the battle, emphasizing the continuous narrative of their competitive dynamic.
Since the start of the 2023 season, Red Bull and Max Verstappen have shown an almost unstoppable aura, winning all but one race. The Qatar Grand Prix marks the start of Verstappen’s third straight championship defense. When questioned about Max’s prospective inclusion among F1 greats, Hamilton rejected rankings as ‘opinion-based’ while praising both the team and Verstappen’s remarkable season.
“I wouldn’t rank him, I think ranking people is an opinion-based thing,“ the 38-year-old said, as quoted by Silver Arrows.net. Lewis believes Red Bull and Max have raised the bar and were flawless this season. Acknowledging their success, he said, “I think he’s earned his position. He’s done an amazing job with the package that he has.” Hamilton added, “Him and the team have been phenomenal this year, faultless, and I think they’ve raised the bar.”
Lewis Hamilton hopes that Mercedes will fix their woes soon and challenge Max Verstappen
Mercedes has struggled with performance deficiencies since the previous year, making the 2023 season difficult. Despite their development this season, Red Bull’s domination has remained unrivaled. Hamilton’s pole position for Mercedes emphasizes the team’s struggles and the rarity of their high spots in a highly contested season.
However, he hopes that the team can improve and challenge Red Bull soon stating, “I do hope at some stage we can fight them and actually have them in a defending position, but they should definitely enjoy the moment because they’ve worked for it.” The Briton emphasized team assessment, urging a focus on identified areas for development to match and compete with the competition effectively.
Hamilton’s hesitation to rate Max may indicate a respect for individual paths in a sport dominated by rivalry and status. His emphasis on personal accomplishments, like to those of his boyhood hero Ayrton Senna, highlights a mentality that transcends superficial comparisons.
As Hamilton says, “For me, I didn’t think about all the other champions, I only thought about Ayrton.”
