The Max Verstappen comparison does not make Lewis Hamilton look good.
Lewis Hamilton has won only once this season with Ferrari’s engine unable to compete
Lewis Hamilton has been criticised by a legend of Italian motorsport for not possessing a trait that his rival Max Verstappen has shown time and again. Hamilton is the most successful Formula One driver ever, with his seven titles matched only by Michael Schumacher while he also holds outright records for the most race wins, podiums and pole positions in the history of the world championship. Six of those titles and vast majority of his wins came while he drove for Mercedes, as the Silver Arrows dominated the sport with eighth constructors’ championship successes in a row.
Since switching to Ferrari he has had some success, though his achievements have been far more modest. He won nothing other than one sprint race in his first season in red last year, while in this campaign he has added multiple podiums, a first grand prix victory and a maiden pole position.
But he has been limited in what he has been able to achieve by Ferrari’s shortcomings. While their car has been among the best on the grid, they have lacked engine power relative to Mercedes and also Red Bull, which has hampered them particularly on circuits with long straights.
Mercedes were the benchmark in the first part of the season, while Red Bull, Ferrari and also McLaren have had periods where they were fastest. But even as the balance of power has shifted, the form driver in the second half of this season has unquestionably been Max Verstappen.
His drive from 21st on the grid to finish second last time out in Sao Paulo extended his podiums streak to eight – longer than any other driver, including champion Kimi Antonelli, has managed this year. He has also outscored Antonelli and every other driver on the grid over the last 10 race weekends.
Nobody has outscored Max Verstappen over the last 10 races (Image: Express Sport)
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The Dutchman’s form has seen him overtake Hamilton and George Russell to move to second in the drivers’ standings. Former F1 racer Riccardo Patrese ranks Verstappen alongside Schumacher and Ayrton Senna as drivers who were capable of winning races even when their car was not the best on the grid, while the Italian is not sure Hamilton is in the same category.
“When I was driving, [Ayrton] Senna and [Michael] Schumacher were superior to anybody. But with the numbers Lewis has in his career, you must put him in that league,” he told Jackpot City Casino.
“I always prefer to judge the drivers I drove against, and in my 17 years of Formula 1 the two best were Senna and Schumacher. But you must put drivers like Lewis in that league – better than Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet. Lewis had very good cars that were leading cars, and he won, no doubt about that.
“But drivers like Senna, Schumacher, and Verstappen can make the difference and win races even if they don’t have the very top car. Lewis had a car that allowed him to be in front, but he always showed a fantastic talent.”
Patrese went on to add his belief that Verstappen will consolidate and finish second in the drivers’ standings ahead of Hamilton. He added: “Verstappen has the better chance to finish second because he has a good car.
“In the last three or four races, he’s always there. He wins. It’s difficult to get second place away from Verstappen in this kind of form, especially when his car seems to be much better now.”
While Verstappen won’t add to his four drivers’ titles this year, his performances levels have surprised even Red Bull. Reacting to his eye-catching comeback drive in Brazil, team principal Laurent Mekies said: “I think no simulator in the world will predict that you go from P21 to P2, or that you get 14 places in five laps – there is no sim able to do that.
“He’s beating the sim on a regular basis.”