Red Bull and Mercedes have, for some time now, been at loggerheads not just on the track, but off it as well. The drivers and team principals have often taken digs at each other in interviews. Things have relatively calmed between the two camps since Red Bull started dominating the sport last year while Mercedes struggled to find the pace. The distance between the two is even more pronounced this year. This prompted Lewis Hamilton to give credit where it was due and praised his rivals for putting together a great car. Despite that, RB boss Christian Horner snubbed his fellow Briton when asked about his abilities to make it in his team.
As Mercedes’ abysmal run continued this year, Hamilton talked about their duty to match Red Bull’s pace. He put the complete onus of their failure on his own team. Soon, rumors about him jumping ship at the end of the year started surfacing online. Even team boss Toto Wolff did not rule out a move away for his champion driver if the team did not improve quickly.
In light of this development, Horner was recently asked if he would have Hamilton on his team. In the latest interview with Sky Sports F1, Horner replied, “I think what Lewis has achieved in Formula One is second to none but we’re very happy with the drivers that we have. They’re committed as a pair, so not only this season but the next season as well. So, I can’t see where we would be able to accommodate Lewis. But I’m sure they’re going to sort their issues out and we’re certainly not writing him off yet.”
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Hamilton was certainly left in awe of Red Bull’s pace after the Saudi Arabian GP. In fact, he reserved the highest praise for his rivals.
What Lewis Hamilton said about rivals Red Bull
The RB19 is surely the fastest car on the grid right now. Both their drivers have secured the 1-2 finish in both fixtures until now. Verstappen even managed to finish in 2nd place despite starting the race from P15 in Jeddah after a driveshaft failure in Q2.
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In awe with their pace, CNN quoted him as reacting, “I have definitely never seen a car so fast. When we were fast, we were not that fast. It is the fastest car I have seen, especially compared to the rest.”
“I don’t know how, but he [Verstappen] came past me with some serious speed and I didn’t even bother to block him because there was a massive speed difference. Everyone wants to see a close battle, but it is the way it is. It is not my problem, it is not my fault.”
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Watch This Story: Bromance moments between Max Verstappen & Lewis Hamilton
Last year, Mercedes caught up with Red Bull towards the end of the season. Do you think they will be able to do that this year as well?