Mercedes F1’s Lewis Hamilton believes F1 has now fully entered the age of Max Verstappen, saying he “doesn’t know” how long Verstappen’s dominance with Red Bull Racing will last. The 2023 F1 season has yet to reach its halfway point, but it looks like the championship outcome is already decided.
At Silverstone last weekend, Verstappen extended his lead to 99 points over team-mate Sergio Perez in the drivers’ standings, keeping Red Bull Racing’s 100 per cent winning streak for 2023 with an eighth win in a row. Verstappen’s streak in Red Bull Racing’s superb RB19 is likely to continue and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the 25-year-old could celebrate his third F1 crown by the end of the summer. . As Verstappen puts in great performances and continues to push the boundaries of his talent, it has become increasingly clear to Hamilton that Formula 1 is entering a new era defined by the impressive presence and success of its rivals. . “There’s always been a big big controlling mass in our sport for a long time,” Hamilton told the Checkered Flag podcast. “I’ve been through it and I’ve been really, really lucky to have it with this team. Michael[Schumacher]has gone through it, Sebastian[Vettel]has gone through it and now. It’s the age of Max.” “How long will it last, can we put the car on the right track and fight them next year, or can Ferrari fight, or will it be us, Ferrari, Red Bull? I don’t know.” Hamilton admitted his unwavering dominance in F1 wasn’t the most “fulfilling” period of his career. “So I’ve been saying this recently that even when we were dominant, the best times were when we were playing close with Red Bull and close with Ferrari,” Hamilton said. ”There were other times when the gap was a little bit bigger. He just did his job, and that’s where Max is now.” “At the end of the day, he and his team just did a better job than anyone else, and you can’t take it away from them.” Can not”. Hamilton hopes Mercedes can finally get back on track and take on Red Bull and Verstappen for an eighth world title in F1 history. But he also wants F1 to become more competitive, allowing the leaders to battle closer on any race day. “As a sport, we have to work hard and talk about how we can do better for the future, so that the collective is closer and Red Bull and Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin. It’s going to be a very close race between them,” Hamilton said. “That’s my dream, because when I grew up with karts, it was wheel-to-wheel close quarters.” I don’t dream of welcoming him again, but at least I have a desire to participate in the battle.”
2023-07-17 21:42:40
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