Few have been able to come close to Max Verstappen, but the Red Bull star has been warned by another F1 world champion that he is not without his challengers
Damon Hill speaking into a Sky Sports microphone while walking on the track
Damon Hill has named four drivers he believes can out-qualify reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen.
While the Red Bull ace won the Canadian Grand Prix, the job was made even harder when Verstappen was edged out in qualifying by George Russell. Sitting comfortably at the top with a 31-point lead, Verstappen appears well on his way to his fourth straight championship victory.
But the Flying Dutchman has been humbled at the Miami GP and the Monaco GP, finishing second and sixth while Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc won respectively. McLaren and Ferrari have both tasted victories and are continuing to apply the pressure on Red Bull, while Mercedes are also creeping closer towards the Milton Keynes outfit.
Verstappen is being touted as the heavy favourite at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix having already recorded three victories at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. But while the 26-year-old will undoubtedly be confident heading into the GP, Hill, who won the world championship in 1996, issued a warning to the three-time champion.
While debating Verstappen’s qualifying prowess on the F1 Nation podcast, Hill served up some alternative names when asked who might topple the Dutchman’s dominance. “I’m going to throw a few possibles out there,” Hill said.
“I’m going to say Lewis [Hamilton] has lost a tiny bit of edge this year. I’m not saying he couldn’t get it back again if he was in competition with Max,” reports the Express.
“Fernando [Alonso] similarly, I think maybe as you get older the real sharp speed seems to go. Maybe George [Russell], maybe Charles [Leclerc], there are still some candidates out there who could surprise him and put pressure on him that he wouldn’t enjoy.
“But then those people are nailed on somewhere so they’re not going to be coming to Red Bull.”
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