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“A top three is really hard as you have to leave out a world class driver”- Martin Brundle apprehensive to name Lewis Hamilton as one of F1’s top drivers

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"A top three is really hard as you have to leave out a world class driver"- Martin Brundle apprehensive to name Lewis Hamilton as one of F1's top drivers

F1 Pundit Martin Brundle was  not convinced about Lewis Hamilton being in his list of top three Formula 1 drivers in 2022. 

Hamilton has had a torrid start to the 2022 season. After his heartbreaking Title loss in 2021, many people expected the Brit to come back with extra motivation to win the Title.

However, as of now he’s nowhere near to challenging for his eighth Championship. It’s partly due to the fact that Mercedes don’t have the strongest car anymore. After eight years of dominance from the Silver Arrows, Ferrari and Red Bull have overtaken them in terms of car performance.

Even within his team, Hamilton has been second best up till now. George Russell, who joined Mercedes in 2022 seems to have settled in to the W13 fairly quickly. His legendary teammate on the other hand, has struggled to get up to speed.

The seven-time World Champion’s last outing was a nightmare, as he finished P13 in Imola. Russell on the other hand, took his car to a well earned fourth place finish.

Also read: “The guy’s a genius”– Pierre Gasly impressed by intellect of Michael Jordan

Plenty of drivers other than Lewis Hamilton who are deserving of a top three rating, says Brundle

The F1 grid is star stacked. There’s no doubt that if they were all in equal machinery, every single race would have been incredibly close. We have old veterans like Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, who are struggling in inferior machinery but are still putting in great performances.

On the other hand, the young guns in F1 today are firing on all cylinders. Drivers like Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz are all considered by many to be Champions in waiting.

In a Sky Sports column, Brundle shared his thoughts on who he feels are the top drivers in F1 today. “The top three drivers in F1? That’s tough!” he said.

“I think Max (Verstappen), Charles and then I’m looking at Lewis, George or Lando as being the third. But I rate Carlos Sainz, and Fernando Alonso could be up there too! A top three is really hard as you’ve got to leave out an absolutely world class driver. Can I do top five?!” the 62-year old added.

Hamilton is currently seventh in the F1 standings with 28 points to his name. Russell meanwhile is up in fourth with 49.

Also read: “Kimi Raikkonen going 300km/h without seeing”: Kimi Raikkonen having ice in his veins while competing for championship in McLaren

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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