Verstappen retaliates against Hamilton: "That was also the case with him"

Max Verstappen acknowledges that Red Bull Racing plays a major factor in his current successes. However, he also believes that he can make a difference as a driver.

Newey important to Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton was asked about the performance of Verstappen and Red Bull in 2022 and how he viewed his former rival. Hamilton did not give the credit to Verstappen, but to Adrian Newey. According to Hamilton, it was especially the designer of the Austrian team who did his job well.

Faced with that remark, Verstappen points to Hamilton's own world titles. "There’s a lot of that is down to the team, of course, as also how Lewis won his championships. That’s how it goes in Formula 1. Your car is super-important, but I think when you’re an exceptional driver like of course Lewis is as well, you make a difference over your team-mate at the time, because in very crucial races as well," said Verstappen on the FIA press conference.

Best drivers in F1

Verstappen points to his own race in Turkey where he managed to keep the car on the track in tricky conditions. "That's what good drivers do. They do make the difference compared to other fast drivers but not as good. So, yeah, the car is very dominant in Formula 1 but of course between team-mates, only one can win, and that’s where you have to make the difference," concluded the reigning world champion.

Hamilton's comment was at all remarkable for someone who has continuously had his team's car to fight for the world title between 2014 and 2021. Between 2014 and 2016, there was no rival at all other than his teammate Nico Rosberg, and the same was true in 2020.