Picture credit: Formula 1
Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and the current World Champion and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen have been touted by the media as Formula 1’s newest and biggest rivalries in their brief history driving against each other. But ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Hamilton had some words of praise for his younger rival.
The British F1 champion expressed that the dominant Verstappen has done an "amazing job" in winning a second title this season and could be proud of his achievement. Verstappen clinched his second successive championship at the Suzuka Grand Prix with four races to spare.
Hamilton, while speaking to the media, talked about how both Red Bull and Verstappen were great this season and the Dutchman has done an incredible job to maximise his car and consistently perform every week.
The Mercedes driver said, "I think he's done an amazing job, he's done everything he had to do. The team provided him with an amazing car and he's delivered pretty much every weekend. He can be proud of the job he's done, I know what it feels to be in a position like that."
In the 2022 season, Verstappen also created history as he broke the record for most wins in a single calendar of 13 wins set by F1 royalty Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel. The Red Bull driver has so far amassed 14 victories and has a chance to further improve this record with the remaining two races of the season.
The herculean feat also helped Red Bull win their constructors' world title for the first time since 2013. Before the Red Bull victory, Mercedes-Petronas won straight eight championships in a row, and are third in the 2022 season behind second-placed Ferrari, who have 40 points lead. But unlike Verstappen, Hamilton has failed to win a single race this season, which would his own record of wins in every season since making his F1 debut with McLaren back in 2007.