F1 HAS BECOME BORING– I’LL TAKE IT TO THE MAX
Verstappen challenge to Hamilton
“BORING” Formula One needs a proper fight, says Max Verstappen.
And Red Bull’s Dutch driver is in prime position to provide it, with even Lewis Hamilton admitting he is now the hunter rather than hunted.
Hamilton and Mercedes team-mateValtteri Bottas are adamant Red Bull have the strongest car heading into the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola tomorrow.
Even so, Bottas was fastest in first practice as the session was cut short when Nikita Mazepin’s spin in the Haas brought out the red flag. Hamilton was second fastest with Verstappen third.
Red Bull were the last team to deny Mercedes the constructors’ championship – in 2013 – and Verstappen believes he is the man to reignite the sport.
He said: “F1 needs a proper fight because for the last few years it has been a bit boring.
“On the Monday after the race, as a fan you really want to be looking forward to the next one, knowing that there are two or even three teams fighting for that win.
“I guess after Lewis won his last six championships, where the battle was maybe not as high for him, now being a seven-time world champion and the most successful driver in F1, he really wants that battle.
“He has already achieved way more than you can ever imagine. Winning that amount of titles is very rare and it is not going to happen many times.
“But he is like, ‘OK, I am getting towards the end of my career and it is nice to see the younger guys coming up and making it more difficult for me’. And, of course, from my side, I am very happy to make it more difficult for him.”
Hamilton also recognises this season will be different from previous ones, in which he often dominated on his way to becoming a seven-time champion.
He said: “You can see that Red Bull currently are ahead and we are the hunters. We like that position – I like it.
“That’s what I started out with back when I was racing karts at Rye House. It’s nothing new for me and it’s definitely exciting.
“We’re under no illusions that we have to chase. We are on the back foot slightly, but I still think we’re the best team.
“As it has shown in the last race, there’s so many elements to having the best team, not just having the best car.”
Bottas agreed, saying: “We are behind. But I don’t feel pressure, I feel excitement and motivation. We are the hunters, not the ones being hunted. I can see the motivation in each team member’s eyes.”