By asserting that he is among the few drivers on the grid who can compete with Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton has denigrated his Formula One rivals. In the Drivers’ Championship, Verstappen leads the Mercedes driver by 265 points.
However, he is currently ranked third, just 39 points behind Sergio Perez, who has far faster machinery, making him the “best of the rest.” Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz, and Fernando Alonso are all very close to Hamilton’s total.
However, the seven-time world champion thinks only he can match Verstappen’s pace if he was given a fair chance of challenging the Dutchman.
“I’m praying every day that we will close the gap and we will hit the ground running,” Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. “I want to be fighting Max, I believe I’m one of the only drivers that can do so.”
Hamilton also pointed the blame as Mercedes’ pit stop crew are lagging way behind their competitors. In 2022, the Silver Arrows’ stops were the third slowest on the grid, according to official rankings.
This season Mercedes have not recorded a single fastest pit at any race. In comparison, Red Bull have eight, and Ferrari and McLaren have five apiece.
“Not only do we need the car, but we also need to be performing better during our pit stops,” Hamilton continued. “We need to improve in so many areas to be on par with the champions.”
During the previous race, the United States Grand Prix, Hamilton’s pit stops were timed at 3.6 and 3.4 seconds. It took Verstappen 2.5 seconds to change a tire. According to Toto Wolff, there is reason for concern.
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