Max Verstappen has suggested that he doesn’t hold any sympathy towards Lewis Hamilton’s ongoing win drought in Formula 1, citing that such periods can occur in the sport.
Hamilton is statistically the most decorated driver in F1 history, having accrued an equal-best seven World Championships and a record 103 race wins and 104 pole positions.
However, amid Mercedes’ struggles to get on top of the latest ground effect machinery, Hamilton has gone two seasons without a victory, marking his longest F1 barren spell.
Meanwhile, Red Bull has utterly dominated during that period, with Verstappen emerging triumphant in 34 of the 44 races to be held under the series’ current regulation cycle.
But despite winning on debut with Red Bull in 2016, Verstappen waited five seasons before he was equipped with a car to fight Mercedes and Hamilton for the 2021 crown.
Having only acquired 10 victories prior to that, the now three-time champion asserts that stretches without having a regular race-winning car should be expected in the sport.
When asked by Blick whether it would prove difficult for him if he encountered a similar situation to his ex-title rival, Verstappen replied: “I did it too. No, wait. That’s not true.
“I was able to get a win every now and then.
“Well, periods like this can happen, but I prefer not to think about it. Because they eat up the necessary energies in you.”
Verstappen romped to a record-breaking 19 victories in 22 races across the recent campaign and also set a new benchmark for the most consecutive wins with 10 in a row.
The 26-year-old, who sits third on the all-time wins list, believes that striving for ultimate perfection was the driving force behind his and Red Bull’s unprecedented success.
“I’m paying close attention to what’s going on behind the scenes,” Verstappen added.
“The slightest background noise or problem must be stopped. There’s no other way for a community of interests as large as Red Bull to function.”
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