Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc snubbed as Max Verstappen handed title warning
Max Verstappen dominated the 2023 campaign in record-breaking fashion, but his rivals are hoping to take the fight to the Red Bull star this season.
Former F1 driver Christijan Albers believes that Lewis Hamilton is the only driver on the grid capable of taking the fight to Max Verstappen. Unfortunately for the seven-time world champion, Mercedes have been unable to produce a title-worthy car for the past two seasons, leaving him scrapping for the occasional podium finish.
Hamilton is now without a win in over two years with his most recent trip to the top step of the podium coming at the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The 39-year-old has climbed onto the rostrum 15 times since then, but never as a race winner. During this time, Verstappen has followed up his maiden World Championship with two more.
The legendary Brit’s performance level remains extremely high and he ended the 2023 campaign as the ‘best of the rest’, finishing third in the Drivers’ Championship standings behind the Red Bull duo of Verstappen and Sergio Perez. If the opportunity for a title fight does come in 2024, Hamilton is well-placed to take advantage.
Writing in his column for De Telegraaf, Albers said: “For the neutral observer, I hope that Mercedes will come with a better car in 2024. Because if you look purely at the qualities of the current drivers, I think Lewis Hamilton is the only one who can come close to Verstappen.
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“I am mainly talking about the quality of being able to perform consistently and be very stable in lap times during a race. Just like Verstappen, Hamilton is someone who can manage his tyres wonderfully. Assessing certain situations, feeling the rubber; in that respect they are alone.
“Hamilton looked quite frustrated at the end of the season. I can imagine that too. Sure, he’s had years where he beat everyone but has now gone two full seasons without a win. That’s going to eat at you.
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“He wants more and more but struggles with the fact that the Mercedes is not going faster. Then at the end of the year, you are exhausted and tired. He hasn’t had that boost that you need for a while.”
While Albers was confident in Hamilton’s ability to match Verstappen in equal machinery, there was no such backing for the likes of Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso, all of whom were regular attendees at podium ceremonies last season. Their respective teams will also have their sights set on Red Bull when the 2024 season gets underway.