Despite Another Winless Season, Lewis Hamilton Has Heavy Bragging Rights Thanks to Sergio Perez: “Prove He’s Still Got It”

While the 2023 season will be known for Max Verstappen’s dominance, fans will also remember Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz for snapping Red Bull’s winning run in Singapore. However, if Lewis Hamilton pushes his limits to finish the season in P2, which he can, given his persistent contribution to rank in P3, things may become tougher for Sergio Perez.

This season, in a car far inferior to the Red Bull, the seven-time champion has made the most of every opportunity. Apart from his mishap in the Qatar Grand Prix, Hamilton hasn’t had a poor race. So far, the Briton has five podiums and is only 30 points behind second-placed Sergio Perez. It certainly feels like Hamilton is breathing down Checo’s neck as the Mexican driver’s poor form and the Brit’s consistency might become a threat to Perez’s seat even before his contract expires with Red Bull.

Lewis Hamilton’s exceptional performance and the potential implications

Despite the fact that Mercedes initially modeled the vehicle incorrectly, the seven-time champion hauled it to the podium five times this season. Aside from that, he became the first driver to end Verstappen’s streak of setting the quickest lap times in qualifying at the Hungarian GP. These favorable outcomes and Hamilton’s consistency have prompted former driver Jolyon Palmer to heap admiration on Mercedes’ maestro.

 

#F1: Valtteri Bottas on Lewis Hamilton: “His average baseline performance is so good, and he’s consistent as well, so it makes him hard to beat. When I could beat him, for me that was obviously a good day, but on average I never managed.”

— deni (@fiagirly) May 4, 2023

During an interview with F1’s official website, the ex-F1 driver stated,” Hamilton has had a superb season this year and could yet clinch second which would be remarkable and prove he’s still got it when he has the car underneath him.” Aside from that, Red Bull and Max Verstappen have already been named to the two championships. Though the distance between Milton Keynes and Mercedes is enormous, the question of whether any team can end Red Bull’s dominance next year captivated the former F1 driver.

Palmer’s take on the situation is that many teams will have a chance to contend in the future. He added to this by pointing out that McLaren is currently on the rise with a strong driver lineup, and the former driver sees it as a potential contender in 2024. Palmer mentioned Ferrari as another squad capable of mounting a challenge while. However, as the interview came to a close, the ex-Renault driver raised the most important question.

He stated,  But can Mercedes leap forward enough with a new car concept?” He concluded by responding to the query of who can break Red Bull’s supremacy, noting an important aspect. That is, unless significant rule modifications are made, it will be extremely difficult for anyone to defeat the top team.

Lewis Hamilton emphasizes the potential consequences of Sergio Perez’s position

Sergio Perez has been the subject of intense scrutiny since the Miami Grand Prix, ahead of which he was neck and neck with Max Verstappen at the start of the season. Despite being second, the Mexican driver’s latest performances have been awful, increasing his misery and giving Lewis Hamilton the opportunity to boost his point total. If Perez loses his P2 spot to Hamilton, even after having a better car than Mercedes, his dream of racing in Formula One may be crushed.

 

Lewis Hamilton has outscored Sergio Perez at 6 of 11 race weekends since the Miami GP. He’s also outscored Checo 42-34 since the summer break.

Lewis currently trails Checo by 33 points for P2 in the driver’s championship. Talk about really maximizing the W14. pic.twitter.com/H4Mqu7jDGC

— Dan’s DRS Zone (@F1GuyDan) October 5, 2023

According to Krone Zeitung, who recounts Helmut Marko’s statements, which serve as an indirect warning to Perez, things don’t look good for the 33-year-old. His words read, “We have to defend second place in the world championship, unfortunately, Lewis Hamilton is getting closer.” Another factor that could put pressure on Perez’s future is Marko’s belief. Being a Dutchman’s teammate is complicated, according to the headmaster, as he believes that Verstappen has been a completely different beast, and Hamilton and Alonso could only compete in the same squad with him.

Though Hamilton appears to agree with Marko, he previously mocked Perez and declared that if he had been in Perez’s shoes, he would have done a better job. Having said that, Hamilton may not be wrong given that, despite not winning a race and only collecting five podium finishes, the 38-year-old is still ranked third. With five races remaining, this time span might be Sergio Perez’s last chance to secure a spot with Red Bull.