Lewis Hamilton’s ‘fastest car ever’ statement about Red Bull dismissed by Max Verstappen

Hamilton insists this year’s Red Bull is quicker than any of his Championship-winning Mercedes cars but Verstappen says that’s ‘not correct’

Lewis Hamilton’s statement that this year’s Red Bull car is the “fastest he’s ever seen” has been dismissed by Max Verstappen.

Red Bull have won three out of three races to open up the 2023 season, with Verstappen victorious in Bahrain and Australia and Sergio Perez triumphant in Saudi Arabia.

In all three grand prix, the RB19 has been rapid and in some cases a second-a-lap quicker than the rest of the field.

This led Hamilton to state after the race in Jeddah last month that he’s “never seen a car so fast”, adding: “When we [Mercedes] were fast, we weren’t that fast. That’s the fastest car I’ve seen compared to the rest.”

Yet double world champion Verstappen, while unbothered by the comparison, believes last year’s world champions are yet to create an aura of dominance like Mercedes did during 2014-2021, when they won eight straight Constructors’ titles.

“I think if you look at the statistics, then those statements are not correct,” Verstappen told the Dutch press, as quoted by RacingNews365 NL, when asked about Hamilton’s statement.

“But we also do have a very good car. Nothing wrong with that, of course. Still, we are not as dominant as Mercedes has shown some years.

“I don’t pay much attention to that, that doesn’t get you anywhere.

Lewis Hamilton’s claim about Red Bull’s pace has been dismissed by Max Verstappen (Getty Images)

“Whatever we have done in the eight years that Mercedes is so dominant, we also tried to close the gap. That’s the only thing you can do.”

Hamilton was alongside Verstappen on the podium in Melbourne after a chaotic end to the Australian Grand Prix, with the seven-time world champion claiming Mercedes’ first podium of the season.

Despite an improved showing down under, Toto Wolff has revealed that the team are working on an alternative design concept already – and are hopeful for upgrades to come into play at race six in Imola.

The next race takes place in Baku, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix (28-30 April) and the first sprint weekend of the season.