Max Verstappen: Mercedes still has a real margin

Max Verstappen and the couple Red Bull - Honda may have sparked for several weeks, it is clear that Mercedes et Lewis Hamilton have lost none of their vista and the level of performance to which the world champions have accustomed the world of F1 in recent seasons.

Leading the Hungarian Grand Prix for a long time, the Dutchman from the Milton Keynes team was unable to do anything to counter the return at the end of the race of a Hamilton certainly benefiting from new tires, unlike an RB15 shod with gums at the end of their life. But “Mad Max” believes that the Silver Arrows remain clearly out of reach.

“I think you can see how much margin they have when they really need to attack, confesses Verstappen. I think Lewis was also "on fire" today, but you see when he really has to go, this car remains dominant, it's as simple as that.

In some races it is not so obvious. Of course they had their problem in Austria with overheating and they couldn't attack. At Hockenheim the conditions were difficult, so you can't drive to the limit of the car. But here (in Hungary) he had to push, and I also pushed hard. We can also see what they are capable of as a team. »

Because if Hamilton was unable to get the better of Verstappen on almost equal tires after the first stops, Mercedes did not hesitate to recall its driver to pass “fresh balls”, and thus take advantage of its advantage at the end of the race.

Discover the full report and analysis of the Hungarian Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondents in Budapest, in AUTO issue 2228hebdo, available this evening in digital version, and this Wednesday on newsstands.