Lewis Hamilton has ‘never recognised Max Verstappen’s ability’, claims Christian Horner

The Red Bull boss added that Verstapppen ‘rattled’ Hamilton during their thrilling title battle last year

Red Bull boss Christian Horner says he has never heard Lewis Hamilton praise Max Verstappen’s talent in Formula 1.

Hamilton and Verstappen went toe-to-toe in a engrossing Championship battle last year, with drama throughout the season concluding with the Dutchman controversially clinching his first world title on the final lap of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

The pair clashed on-track numerous times - most memorably in Silverstone, Monza and Saudi Arabia - as they battled for points throughout a thrilling campaign.

Yet Verstappen’s wheel-to-wheel encounters with his closest competitor in 2022, Charles Leclerc, have been more respecful and Horner alluded to that “mutual respect” in contrast to 2021.

“You know, there’s a difference, there’s perhaps a different respect with Charles,” Horner told the Beyond the Grid podcast.

“They raced each other since [being] kids, and there was a mutual respect. I’ve never once ever heard Lewis recognise Max’s ability.

“And so of course, there was just a bit more needle to it and you could feel that, and you could sense that between those two drivers.”

Christian Horner says he has never heard Lewis Hamilton praise Max Verstappen’s talent in Formula 1 (Getty Images)

Horner added that Verstappen had “rattled” Hamilton in his pursuit of an eighth world title, while the pressure was off the Red Bull star as he challenged for the Championship for the first time.

Asked if the drivers were in each other’s heads last year amid a psychological battle too, Horner said: “I think arguably, maybe more so in Lewis’ head.

“Because he’s the seven-time world champion that has everything to lose, Max is the young kid that’s taking the risks, that’s throwing everything at it, and got nothing to lose. Some of his overtaking last year was stunning and you felt that started to rattle Lewis, I think.”

This year, Hamilton has struggled in a Mercedes car which has underperformed - he is sixth in the Championship and 167 points behind Verstappen, who could win his second world title at the next race in Singapore.

Horner added that Verstappen had “rattled” Hamilton in his pursuit of an eighth world title in 2021 (AFP via Getty Images)