David Coulthard has pointed to the clues that Lewis Hamilton will not be at his peak anymore, as the previous Components 1 driver selected Max Verstappen over the seven-time champion as his biggest world champion.
Coulthard was tasked with selecting his prime F1 champion throughout an episode of The Purple Flags Podcast. As he whittled down the record, which included drivers comparable to Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Juan Manuel Fangio and Sir Jackie Stewart, the previous Purple Bull driver finally had to decide on between Hamilton and Verstappen.
“I will go together 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 era ought to be higher. That is what evolution is,” he defined.
“I believe that there is a crossover of generations there, and Hamilton has been unimaginable. However there’s additionally a bit 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 is not completely happy he says it and he is not shy to say that. He owns his beliefs, whether or not he is completely happy, whether or not he is unhappy.”
After lacking out on an eighth championship title by shedding to Verstappen in 2021, Hamilton was prepared to return 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 automotive, 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 am going to go together with Verstappen as a result of they’re very tough to separate when it comes to Hamilton at his peak, and I hold 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, Purple Bull Racing
Picture by: Purple Bull Content material Pool
“But it surely 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 does not really feel like he is completed that with Charles [Leclerc].
“So if we put opinions to 1 facet and we simply use the 2 issues which can be in the end vital in Components 1, it is a stopwatch, and it is a chequered flag. Every thing 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 velocity is possibly not there with Lewis anymore. However you have to give him a lot respect, however Max, it nonetheless seems like he is creating, it nonetheless feels there’s extra to return.”
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