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Verstappen not currently at Hamilton's level

Verstappen not currently at Hamilton's level

14-12-2018 16:25
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Jake Williams-Smith

Max Verstappen is not operating at Lewis Hamilton's level quite yet according to Mercedes engineering director Aldo Costa. The Dutchman has impressed the F1 world since joining back in 2015, picking up several wins so far however his hot-headedness has landed him in hot water at times.

Verstappen seems destined to win a Formula One world championship sooner rather than later but according to the Mercedes engineering chief, the Red Bull driver lacks consistency when it matters but that it would come with more experience.

"He's a talent, he's fast but he still has to grow consistency, which has been the winning weapon of Hamilton," Costa is quoted by Gazzetta dello Sport.

Hamilton took hold of the championship in the second half of the season, dropping just 37 points between Silverstone and Abu Dhabi, a level of performance the man himself says he has not reached before.

"He himself said he has experienced his best season in F1, but we have been able to bring in the second part of the season, race after race, effective developments.

"Certainly it was not a perfect year. We struggled to understand the tyres and in this case Red Bull was better than us. Even the reliability was good but not exceptional."

With aerodynamic regulations changing in 2019, Mercedes is hopeful that they can continue their run of dominance in the hybrid era which has seen the team take five-straight constructor's titles in a row since 2014.

"Ferrari will obviously be there to fight with us, and then I expect Red Bull, considering that they speak so well of the new Honda engine, but then there is Renault, Sauber, Haas.

"The new rules could change a bit the balance, it could favour some and harm others.

"We will do our best to conquer another title: we have drawn level with Ferrari in terms of consecutive drivers' titles but now we have to reach them in the constructors."