Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are the current generation arch-rivals of Formula One. The seven-time champion had a successful journey from the start of his career. He dominated the grid from 2014 to 2020. He lost in 2016 only to his then-teammate Nico Rosberg. Meanwhile, after making his debut in F1, Max Verstappen had to wait for five years before he tasted the success of winning the world championship.
Hamilton was on his way to winning his eighth championship back in Abu Dhabi 2021 Grand Prix. However, in the final lap, due to some confusion by the race steward, Max took advantage and snatched the world title from the Briton. Since then, Lewis Hamilton has been desperately searching for the coveted eighth title. But Verstappen is not giving Hamilton any chance to beat him. And this point has been raised by Red Bull’s advisor, Helmut Marko, time and again. However, this time, he has splurged some hard facts that have come out a little more crucial for the Hamilton fans.
Helmut Marko Feels Max’s Salary Annoys Hamilton
The Red Bull ace has won back-to-back championships, making him the most valuable F1 racer at present. The Dutch driver signed a contract with Verstappen in 2022, making him the highest-paid F1 driver at present. Max Verstappen, as per the contract, will earn 50 million pounds every year. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton had a pretty tough time over the last couple of years. It has been 18 months since the heartbreaking loss in Abu Dhabi. Since then, the Mercedes driver has not seen even the silver lining of success. Pointing out the same, Helmut Marko, Red Bull advisor, believes that the lucrative contract of Max annoys Lewis Hamilton even more than anything at present.
According to Marko, the Mercedes driver is annoyed because he is not a world champion anymore, and it is going to be very difficult for Lewis Hamilton to be one again in the future. Moreover, Helmut Marko suggests that there is no place in Red Bull for the seven-time champion. However, nobody knows if Ferrari is a good option for him. Moreover, it has been many moons since Ferrari won a season. The Italian team last won the driver’s world title in 2007 and the constructor’s championship in 2008. Moreover, Red Bull and Mercedes dominated the championships in the last ten years. Hence, the question is, does Scuderia Ferrari have the package to win championships? That’s what Lewis Hamilton needs to ask before he decides to leave the long-time team, Mercedes.
Is It A Good Idea For Hamilton To Leave Mercedes?
Evidently, it has been an epic partnership between a team and a driver. Lewis Hamilton won six driver’s world championships after he joined Mercedes in 2013. But after 2021, Mercedes is not looking ready to challenge Red Bull for a title this year. They have not got their car fixed yet. The Brackley-based team is still figuring out if the new upgrades will help them beat Red Bull.
Lewis Hamilton mentioned earlier that they are looking to get past Aston Martin at first. As they are not yet ready to challenge Red Bull. The Austrian team with RB19 is just too fast for the rest of the teams on the grid. They have won all the races so far with most one-two finishes. Hence, it looks tough to beat Max Verstappen-Sergio Perez duo at present.
