In a recent exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com, former Benetton team boss Joan Villadelprat delved into the ongoing debate of whether Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton holds the edge in Formula 1, especially if both were given equal machinery.
Despite Lewis Hamilton’s unparalleled success with seven World Championships and the record for the most Grand Prix wins in the history of the sport, Villadelprat suggested that Max Verstappen’s recent achievements and dominant performances might tip the scales in his favor.
Villadelprat acknowledged Hamilton’s undeniable pedigree and historic accomplishments but pointed out that Verstappen’s third consecutive title and impressive performances have elevated him to the status of Formula 1’s best driver in the current era. The former team boss hinted at the idea that Verstappen’s momentum and form could potentially make him the preferred choice when comparing the two drivers in equal cars.
This perspective adds an interesting layer to the ongoing narrative surrounding the fierce competition between Hamilton and Verstappen, offering insight into the opinions within the Formula 1 community regarding the current hierarchy among the sport’s top drivers.
“No. Lewis is making mistakes,” said the Spaniard.
“He doesn’t have the car. And we don’t know how good the Red Bull car is.
“You can compare the Mercedes car, how good it is, because [George] Russell is good. And he’s there with Hamilton.
“You don’t know Red Bull. Red Bull is Max and Checo [Perez] is half-a-second to a second behind. Checo is not a bad driver, he’s a f**king quick driver.
“Maybe the way they have developed the car, maybe the way that Max is asking things, maybe what you put in that car to make Max be quicker goes totally against what Checo probably wants.”
The prospect of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen joining the same Formula 1 team remains a distant possibility. However, Christian Horner’s recent revelation about an inquiry from Hamilton’s father to Red Bull during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend has fueled speculation about the potential collaboration.
Joan Villadelprat, weighing in on the hypothetical scenario of Hamilton and Verstappen sharing a team in 2024, expressed the belief that the current-spec Verstappen would outperform the current-spec Hamilton. It’s worth noting that Villadelprat emphasized this assessment might not have always been the case, and the dynamics could change in the future.
This insight adds an intriguing dimension to the hypothetical pairing of Hamilton and Verstappen in the same team, offering a glimpse into the opinions within the Formula 1 community regarding the potential outcomes of such a collaboration. The fluid nature of Formula 1, with drivers’ performances evolving over time, adds an element of uncertainty to these hypothetical scenarios.
“I think, today, [Max],” he said.
“Today, he has got such confidence. I believe that, today.
“That doesn’t mean that… well, you look at Alonso and what he’s done this year, at 42. He’s still like a young kid. Today, the drivers’ careers can be longer and whatever, in the past, 30 years, 32, 33, you already needed to retire.
“Today, you may arrive at 50, if you carry on like that. I believe that the body language, what you see, the way they approach the weekend, the way you do the first lap – because Max, on one lap, is there. Bam, that’s it. Wet, dry, humid, you name it – it doesn’t take more than one lap to be there.
“But he is putting the foot down on the first lap, and the first lap is quicker. Boom, that’s it. That’s his confidence.
“He’s got the confidence now that he’s untouchable. When a Formula 1 driver, a World Champion, gets to that stage, it’s very difficult to stop it.
“Hamilton has had moments like that. But… how can I say it, without sounding against Hamilton? Because I’m not at all, I love Hamilton.
“But he had a very good time with Mercedes, knowing the rules of the engine well before anybody else. They get the best f**king engine in the paddock, and, for a while, it had been the most powerful.
“Not only the chassis, but the engine in particular was the most powerful engine in the paddock. That helped him to win a lot of championships.
“If you compare [Nico] Rosberg and him, I didn’t see Rosberg as anything special. Rosberg was sometimes able, and [Valtteri] Bottas was sometimes quicker than Hamilton in qualifying as well, and he’s not a special driver.
“We’re not talking about Bottas being in the league of [Ayrton] Senna or Hamilton, Max or Michael – not even Rosberg was in that league. So what that means is that they had a tool that was more powerful than the rest.
“I don’t think Max has that. Because, the first year they won the championship, it was like that (indicates a smidge of a gap with his fingers).
“Today, his team-mate is not even close. And his team-mate is not bad – he’s as quick as Bottas and Rosberg. Checo Perez is quicker than them. That’s what I think. So I don’t know how much is the car, and how much is Max.”
