Lewis Hamilton FEARS Max Verstappen, he's not worried about Valtteri Bottas - Coronel
LEWIS HAMILTON did not enjoy losing to Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas at the Australian Grand Prix.
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But the world champion only fears one driver on the F1 grid.
And that’s Red Bull star Max Verstappen, according to former WTCC driver Tom Coronel.
Hamilton was jumped off the line in Melbourne and couldn’t live with Bottas in the opening race of the season.
But it has since emerged his car had floor damage inhibiting the performance of his Mercedes.
And Coronel thinks the Brit will win this Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix and only fears Verstappen on the 2019 grid.
He told F1Maximaal: “Lewis woke that up.
“Lewis did not like that, then he becomes an annoying man. And that is good.
“Special forces are released under pressure from him.
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“That's why I think he's going to win in Bahrain.
“But there is only one driver who really fears Lewis, and that is not Bottas for the time being. That's Max.”
Last year’s race in Bahrain was won by Sebastian Vettel.
But after their dismal showing in Australian which saw the German and Charles Leclerc finish in fourth and fifth, a victory looks a long way off.
Coronel was surprised Ferrari were so far back from Mercedes.
“I didn't expect Mercedes to be so much stronger than the rest,” he added.
“I really thought: Ferrari, where are you, what's the matter? What is happening?
“But that also makes Formula 1 so much fun.”