F1 chief keen to 'celebrate' Verstappen dominance as Hamilton tells blunt truth

26 August 2023 , 09:42

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F1 chief keen to 'celebrate' Verstappen dominance as Hamilton tells blunt truth

Stefano Domenicali feels it is important to "celebrate" the history being made by Max Verstappen this season, despite some complaints over the lack of competition for the Dutchman this season.

He is 125 points clear of his nearest rival, team-mate Sergio Perez, while the closest racer not driving a Red Bull is Fernando Alonso, another 40 points further back. He has yet to finish below second place in a race and has won 10 out of the 12 so far.

Verstappen is gunning for what would be a record-equalling ninth consecutive victory at his home race this weekend. And he is on course to win the championship earlier than ever before if he continues his remarkable streak.

Some fans have complained about the lack of a title race and claim it has made the sport boring this season. But, in a call to F1 investors, chief executive Domenicali shared a different view.

He said: "I would say, first of all, it's the right moment to celebrate the incredible job that Verstappen is doing in that car. Because if you see the other car and where the others are in terms of the gap, Max is doing an incredible job.

Inside the driver call which upset Red Bull and changed the course of F1 history

"That has been always part of F1 and I would say that this is part of the game. I'm pretty sure that in the next couple of years, the technical gaps will be reduced.

"But if someone is great, we need to celebrate what they're doing. And sometimes I have to say there is also the need to confirm the legacy of somebody who is doing some spectacular stuff."

Lewis Hamilton does not expect anyone to be able to challenge his old F1 rival any time soon. Speaking to reporters at Zandvoort, including Mirror Sport, the Mercedes racer said he can foresee Red Bull continuing their perfect record in the final 10 races of this season.

"There is a high chance that he'll win every race," said the seven-time world champion. "I'm hopeful that we can challenge them at some point, whether it's this weekend or who knows where.

"If there are any mistakes or any mishaps, we will be right there to capitalise on it. He hasn't made any and Red Bull haven't made many this year. They might win everything, but later on in the year we'll get closer, maybe."

Daniel Moxon