Lewis Hamilton’s verdict on Max Verstappen’s ‘not realistic’ F1 title claim

Lewis Hamilton has doubted Max Verstappen’s claim that his chances of winning the F1 world championship are “not realistic”.

Three-time world champion Verstappen dominated the start of the season, claiming seven victories from the first 10 rounds, but is currently winless in six races amid Red Bull’s recent performance struggles.

Verstappen still holds a 62-point lead over Lando Norris, while Red Bull are just eight points clear of McLaren in the constructors’ standings. After finishing sixth in the Italian Grand Prix, the Dutchman moved to downplay his title prospects.

"At the moment, both championships are not realistic," he stated.

“I've said a lot and now it's up to the team to come with a lot of changes with the car, because we basically went from a very dominant car to an undrivable car in the space of six to eight months. So, that is very weird for me and we need to really turn the car upside down.

"With how we are at the moment we are bad everywhere, so we need a lot of changes."

Ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Hamilton was asked for his thoughts on his 2021 title rival’s comments.

“He said it’s unrealistic for him to get one of the two titles?” Hamilton told media including Crash.net in Baku.

“I mean, that’s his opinion, obviously, what he’s feeling in that moment, but he’s pretty far ahead,” the seven-time world champion added with a chuckle.

Since Red Bull’s ominous start to the campaign, there have been six different winners in the past seven events. 

Hamilton, who won two of those races at Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps, said the current level of competition in F1 is “amazing”.

“This is how it should be. I think that’s ultimately probably the goal when they set the rules, but it never works out,” he explained.

“So it’s great that we’re finally in that phase when McLaren have had a great rise, you see the Ferrari win in the last race, and us before that.

“Hopefully these next eight races, hopefully you’ll see something more like that, and it stays consistent, I hope.”