Helmut Marko claims ‘only Lewis Hamilton’ can match ‘improved’ Max Verstappen.
Helmut Marko has revealed the area of Max Verstappen’s performance that only the legendary Lewis Hamilton can challenge.
Helmut Marko has claimed that only Lewis Hamilton can match Max Verstappen when it comes to tire management on his Formula 1 car.
Verstappen took his 13th win of the season at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, fending off the threat of McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris before running away behind the first safety car.
The Dutchman is currently 177 points ahead of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez in the World Championship and will win his third title in Qatar, provided he finishes sixth or better in the sprint or scores less. best three points throughout the weekend. .
Despite taking 13 wins this year, dating back to the fifth round of the season, the Dutchman has remained largely unchallenged, which has allowed him to develop his tire and track management skills, while time to add to his already great talent. After dominating the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, Marko told Sky Germany:
“He has improved in terms of pure speed and he clearly carries out his performances with utmost ease. That’s truly amazing.
“Furthermore, I think he has gradually become the best at managing his tires. He drives precisely and quickly while maintaining full control. I think maybe only Lewis Hamilton has just achieved this to a similar degree.”
Hamilton is renowned as one of the strongest tire-handling drivers in F1 history, having honed his skills during his years dominating the field while Mercedes led the constructors’ championship. The 2020 Turkish Grand Prix was a prime example of the 38-year-old’s ability to look after old tires over the long term, while continuing to pace his rivals, and now Verstappen is also acquire these SKILLS.
Speaking after moving closer to his third world championship, Verstappen said:
“An incredible weekend. Winning here is amazing. The car performed very well on all tracks.
The most important thing is to win against the manufacturers. Very proud for everyone who works on the track and in the factory. We are having an incredible year.”
