The Max Verstappen monopoly in F1 has been painful for Lewis Hamilton. What should’ve been his redemption era, has been converted into the genesis of his enemy’s dominion over the sport. Consequently, Hamilton recently made a snarky comment about Verstappen’s teammates, but it has only helped the Dutchman’s statements from 2019 come full circle.
While on a run before the Italian GP, Lewis Hamilton had a eureka moment about the media narrative around Verstappen. Irked by what he heard, Hamilton walked into the media pen ready to burn his rivals. “When I qualified half a second six-tenths ahead of Valtteri, they didn’t say the same thing as they say today when Max qualifies six-tenths ahead of Perez – it’s blown up much more.”
Hamilton then proceeded to lash out at Verstappen’s teammates and the competition he faces. “In my personal opinion, Valtteri and all my teammates have been stronger than the teammates Max has had.”
Listing Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, George Russell, and Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton stated his teammates have been “very strong, very consistent” With a final blow to Verstappen, Hamilton concluded, “Max isn’t racing against anyone like that.”
Lewis Hamilton only repeating what Max Verstappen once said
Whether Hamilton was criticizing Red Bull’s choice in choosing Verstappen’s teammate, or their special treatment toward Max, he was still doubting the Dutchman’s talents. However, Verstappen himself had voiced a similar opinion about Hamilton.
When Hamilton was getting ready to claim his sixth title, Verstappen criticized Hamilton’s teammates and credited his car instead. “Over the years, Lewis hasn’t had the strongest team-mates.”
Lewis: What did you do on your summer break, VB?
VB: Dressed up as Duffman, obviously. 😆 pic.twitter.com/C4DGviOFBT
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) August 27, 2023
Verstappen simply stated that if a driver has the best car, he can beat everyone. While praising Hamilton as the ‘best to have raced in F1’, Verstappen couldn’t help but point out the discrepancy between Hamilton and his teammates. “He has also had the best car, and when you have the dominant car, the only one you are really fighting is your team-mate.”
A futile war of words between Verstappen and Hamilton
It’s ironic that Hamilton and Verstappen had such similar accusations against each other. If anything, to be able to outperform your teammate consistently in the best car on the grid, only speaks to the driver’s capabilities, not their weakness. Whether it applied to Lewis Hamilton in his peak, or Max Verstappen today.
📰: Lewis Hamilton suggests that had Mercedes made the 'correct choices, they could have matched Max Verstappen's pace today.#F1 #DutchGP
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) August 27, 2023
Hamilton’s teammates came close to him, sure, but no one could ever quite catch up. Today, Verstappen has earned his name amongst the greats, right beside Hamilton. While the discussion of dominance being boring in F1 continues, the show Verstappen is putting up is similar to that of Schumacher, Vettel, and even Hamilton.
Thus, the only way either Hamilton or Verstappen truly had a teammate that would keep them on their toes, would be if they raced each other. However, that is only a utopian fever dream in some alternate universe. In 2019, when Verstappen was asked if he’d race with Hamilton, he clearly stated, “If it happens, it happens, but it is not something I am dreaming of.” God bless the team that dares to make this happen.
