Will.i.am: 'If Hamilton starts winning again, it will cost Verstappen years'

American rapper Will.i.am is a big fan of Formula 1 in addition to being an artist. Especially Mercedes, as the 48-year-old artist has a partnership with the brand for which Lewis Hamilton and George Russell race for. When asked if Mercedes can again race for the top spots, Will.i.am has a decided answer ready.

The new Formula 1 season is just around the corner, and the first Grand Prix will be held in Bahrain on 2 March. Mercedes' new car, the W15, will be unveiled on Valentine's Day (14 February). In any case, the American is very confident about Mercedes' competitiveness.

"With engineering, yes, they're the best engineers on earth. And Lewis Hamilton is one of the best drivers that ever existed," the American rapper explained to F1 Briefings. "So yeah, I'm super optimistic. And Toto [Wolff] is an amazing leader. George [Russell] is fearless and one of the nicest guys I've ever met."

"If Lewis were to win, it would be historic. So that could be a legendary moment for Lewis, for the sport and for Mercedes," Will.i.am continued. "When Lewis does it, it's going to take a long time for Max [Verstappen] to catch up, even though he is awesome, don't get me wrong, but when Lewis has it in the bag, it's going to take Max some years."