Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), separated by 3 points in the F1 world championship after 13 out of 22 rounds, took stock of the balance of power between their two teams after the Dutch GP Sunday.
While the Briton's last pole position dates back to the Hungarian GP in early August and his last victory for Great Britain in mid-July - before the summer break - his Dutch rival, leader of the drivers' standings with 224.5 points, "
think that we should not look at the results but rather at the pace of each one
".
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Mercedes and Hamilton “
were ahead in qualifying at Silverstone. They were ahead in Hungary but the scenario was crazy with the clashes at the start and the rain,
”he recalls. "
They should have won
", estimates the Red Bull driver (10 podiums including 7 wins, 7 poles and 4 fastest laps in 2021). “
That's why I told myself during the summer that we had to accelerate, otherwise they would escape. I think we did it in part and that a little more is needed, but we are going in the right direction,
”he said.
Verstappen sees dominance oscillate in the future "
because we have quite different tracks coming from each other
".
"
We must continue to push and make improvements to the car,
" he urges.
Hamilton: "gain speed to win races"
Hamilton, 2nd with 221.5 points, 10 podiums including 4 wins, 3 poles and 4 fastest laps, says that he and his people are giving “
everything
” against a Red Bull “
so good from the start
”. "
We did our best
" to catch up with them after disappointing winter testing, he says. "
During a few races (in Portugal and Spain at the beginning of May, editor's note), we seemed to be at the same level or a little ahead, but that did not last
", remarks the world champion in title, in search of a record 8th world crown. “
They took a big step forward and it became difficult
”.
For him, if Red Bull has finally managed to climb to the level of Mercedes this year, while it was lagging behind since 2014, it is above all because “
its engine has progressed massively
”. The engine had been the strength of the Silver Arrows since switching to the hybrid that year, but the Honda powertrain has "
gained in power, maneuverability and gives Red Bull the best start in the season." grid
”, according to the Englishman.
“
With performance levels so close, it's also complicated to overtake on most of the circuits we've visited recently,
” he adds. "
We must continue to work,
" therefore urges Hamilton. “
We are ahead in the constructors' standings (
with 344.5 points against 332.5, which is explained by the greater number of podiums for his Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas compared to the Mexican Sergio Pérez, editor's note
), it is great, but you have to gain speed to be able to win races in the future!
"Speaking of victories," Sir "Lewis is also aiming for a symbolic 100th.
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