Red Bull driver Max Verstappen had to wait a few years to win his first title because Lewis Hamilton, with his team Mercedes had complete hegemony during the turbo-hybrid era. There was no stopping Hamilton between 2014 and 2020. The only F1 racer who could stop him was his teammate back in 2016, Nico Rosberg. Otherwise, Hamilton had such a strong dominance in that period as he won six world championships in those six years. The seven-time champion was also on his way to winning the eighth title when Verstappen emerged as the new champion beating Hamilton narrowly.
Since that year, Max Verstappen and Red Bull have become the new unbeatable force. There is no stopping this amazing partnership now. But all the fans want to see is good competition between drivers as well as between teams. And the F1 viewers around the world finally got a glimmer when Lewis Hamilton came second in the Spanish this last weekend. On top of that, his 25-year-old teammate George Russell secured the third position in the Grand Prix. Looks like things are coming at a good angle for Mercedes as they hope to build on the improvements to the car.
Max Verstappen Feels His And Hamilton’s Rivalry Is Good For The Sport
Mercedes sure hopes they had implemented this modification long before the season started. Hence, they would not have to be so far behind Red Bull. Max Verstappen is leading the table, but Lewis Hamilton is now fourth. But the teammate of Verstappen, Sergio Perez, is in the second spot, and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin is third. Hence, before Lewis Hamilton catches up to Max Verstappen, he must beat the two drivers between him and the Dutchman. However, after the upgrades, Mercedes and Hamilton look stronger than ever before this season. Hence, it is good for the game because now the fans can see some 2021-type competition for the title.
In the press conference after the GP, Lewis Hamilton mentioned, “I want to be where Max is right now.” That’s what the fans expect to hear from him. On the other hand, Max Verstappen too mentioned, “It is good in general for the sport if there is more competition from other teams. Perhaps in the next year, there will be more teams fighting up front for the title.” It was the Dutchman’s way of welcoming Lewis Hamilton into contention for the title. The current leader of the points table also added that Mercedes had a strong performance in Barcelona. They are improving, but the last thing Red Bull can afford is to stand still. Max Verstappen feels that would be catastrophic.
Mercedes Let Down Lewis Hamilton With A Poor Car Since Last Year
Every season the car plays a vital role, and so does this year. Max has already won five out of seven races so far in the ongoing season. Red Bull has won all the races so far. The main reason is the superiority of the RB19 car. Moreover, under the cost cap era, only Red Bull has figured out a way to build the championship-winning car. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton is unfortunate because he was so close to winning the coveted eighth title in 2021, but he lost.
Moreover, Mercedes started struggling the most in the new era with their car’s zero side pod concept. Last year was so bad for Hamilton that for the first time in the Briton’s career, he could not win a single race in a season. But Mercedes did win a single race last season in the Brazilian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton came second behind his teammate, George Russell, who won his maiden Grand Prix. Even in the current season, Mercedes does not have a great time, as they can only manage podium finishes in a couple of races this season.
