David Coulthard has pointed to the clues that Lewis Hamilton will not be at his peak anymore, as the previous System 1 driver selected Max Verstappen over the seven-time champion as his biggest world champion.
Coulthard was tasked with selecting his high F1 champion throughout an episode of The Crimson Flags Podcast. As he whittled down the record, which included drivers corresponding to Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Juan Manuel Fangio and Sir Jackie Stewart, the previous Crimson Bull driver ultimately had to decide on between Hamilton and Verstappen.
“I’ll go along with Max, and this would possibly not shock some individuals who know me and like me and know me and dislike me, for the next causes. I believe that each technology must be higher. That is what evolution is,” he defined.
“I believe that there is a crossover of generations there, and Hamilton has been unbelievable. However there’s additionally slightly little bit of a disconnect in some methods. Max I discover very grounded, if he is right here, it is simply Max, he is current and we all know when he is doing his interviews and press conferences, if he isn’t completely satisfied he says it and he isn’t shy to say that. He owns his beliefs, whether or not he is completely satisfied, whether or not he is unhappy.”
After lacking out on an eighth championship title by dropping to Verstappen in 2021, Hamilton was prepared to come back again combating in 2022. However with the change in rules not suiting his driving fashion in addition to he would have hoped and Mercedes not producing essentially the most dominant automobile, the Briton confronted an uphill battle.
Hamilton moved to Ferrari in 2025 and has been working to adapt to the brand new workforce.
“So I will go along with Verstappen as a result of they’re very troublesome to separate when it comes to Hamilton at his peak, and I maintain saying that as a result of I am undecided that he’s at his peak anymore, controversial for a loser like me to dare to say that,” Coulthard added.
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing
Picture by: Crimson Bull Content material Pool
“Nevertheless it simply feels the greats match their team-mates or beat their team-mates. And within the final couple of years, if I am not mistaken, he did not try this with George [Russell]. And it would not really feel like he is achieved that with Charles [Leclerc].
“So if we put opinions to 1 facet and we simply use the 2 issues which are in the end necessary in System 1, it is a stopwatch, and it is a chequered flag. All the things else is opinion.
“So the stopwatch offers you your qualifying place, as we all know, chequered flag offers you the number-one trophy, and I believe that the outright pace is possibly not there with Lewis anymore. However you have to give him a lot respect, however Max, it nonetheless appears like he is creating, it nonetheless feels there’s extra to come back.”
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