Lewis Hamilton Gets Sidelined in Favor of the Only Two True Contenders to Max Verstappen’s Crown

Max Verstappen has proven to be a generational talent in F1. From displacing Lewis Hamilton from the top-notch of the sport to dominating the track two years later, Verstappen has found himself in the League of Legends. However, at the same time, he finds himself in what is, arguably, the most talented grid the sport has seen in a while.

With the surge of talent found in new drivers like De Vries and Piastri, who have been champions before their F1 entry; to his peers in Russell, Leclerc, and Norris, the competition is endless. Further Hamilton and Alonso, the senior drivers on the grid, are still very much in Verstappen’s mirrors on the track.

Thus, it begs the question, if someone else was given the same privilege of the beastly Red Bull car, could Verstappen face actual competition purely on racing skill?

Max Verstappen given two names to look out for

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert gave his two cents on Verstappen’s magnificent talent. As the season began, Red Bull’s RB19 emerged as the leading contender, with Verstappen claiming victory in two out of the first three races. So it seems like the Dutch driver was well on his way to securing his third consecutive title.

However, Herbert has a different perspective. He sees Norris and Russell, two rising stars who joined the F1 scene in 2019, as potential contenders who could outperform Verstappen if placed in the same car.

Russell’s battles against Hamilton speak for themselves. “George has been able to challenge him [Lewis Hamilton] and put him under a lot of pressure.” He doubles down. “George is going to be tough for Max Verstappen when he gets the right car.”

Lando Norris, on the other hand, had been given the opportunity to race alongside Verstappen. Choosing to stay with McLaren after conversations with Christian Horner, Herbert believes Norris too needs the “right car.”

Sergio Perez shares his experience

It’s not like Verstappen hasn’t had a challenging driver in his machinery. Daniel Ricciardo, despite being the senior driver at Red Bull, was threatened by Verstappen’s enormous talent. Perez too has confessed that it is impossible to match the prodigy.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Verstappen.com (@verstappencom)

Perez acknowledged that Verstappen is a tough competitor to go up against. “There is no doubt that there is no driver on such a form as Max. Together with the team as well with the car, he is definitely the hardest driver to beat.”

And this has been the case with everyone who dares walk through the Red Bull revolving doors. In a sport where your teammate is your greatest rival, Verstappen is a nightmare to go up against. Will we ever see his downfall? It would take a special talent to do so.