Lewis Hamilton goes on the offensive by slamming Max Verstappen's Red Bull team-mates
Lewis Hamilton is hoping to win the Italian Grand Prix this weekend
PA
Lewis Hamilton has claimed his own team-mates at Mercedes over the years have been stronger than anything Max Verstappen has had to contend with at Red Bull.
The Brit has spoken out ahead of the Italian Grand Prix this weekend, a race he's won five times in the past.
And Hamilton has taken aim at Verstappen by insisting his own team-mates at Mercedes have always been stronger.
"We've seen it through history," he said when asked about Verstappen and Red Bull's success this season.
Max Verstappen has been put down by Lewis Hamilton ahead of the Italian Grand Prix
PA
"I'm no more impressed than when Michael [Schumacher] was leading, when Sebastian [Vettel] was leading, when Kimi [Raikkonen] was driving, when Fernando [Alonso] was winning - same.
“I think the team as a whole is one of the strongest, they’re firing on all cylinders right now.
"The car is incredible, the drivers are doing an amazing job, very consistent, the pit crew is doing a great job, the mechanics are doing a good job, strategy is doing a good job.
“It's on point, you can’t fault them."
Verstappen has been in outstanding form this season.
The 25-year-old has picked up 339 points, with Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez second with 201.
Fernando Alonso then sits third, with the 42-year-old shining at Aston Martin, with Hamilton in fourth.
Hamilton added: "It's actually interesting because I was running this morning and I was thinking about this [not getting enough credit].
"The narrative, that goes through the media… you know when I qualified half a second, six tenths ahead of Valtteri, they didn't say the same thing as they say today when Max qualifies six tenths ahead of Perez - it's blown up much more.
"And in my personal opinion, Valtteri, and actually all my team-mates, have been stronger than the team-mates that Max has had.
"Jenson [Button], Fernando [Alonso], George [Russell], Valtteri… Nico [Rosberg] - I've had so many.
"These guys have all been very consistent, and Max has not raced against anyone like that."
Analysing Hamilton's comments, former F1 star Martin Brundle said he was taken aback by the stength of the Mercedes star's admission.
"That's Lewis' opinion and he very firmly put it out there," Brundle said.
"He's not going to give Max an ounce of oxygen, or anything, to big him up.
"Surprised just how hard he was there. Yes, of course, Lewis has had some strong team-mates but I wouldn't write off the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Sergio Perez who Max has had alongside him either. They're world-class racing drivers
"But Lewis just doesn't want to give anything away, does he."
Hamilton's last win at Monza came all the way back in 2018.
And, since then, there have been four fresh winners of the race.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Lewis Hamilton feels he doesn't get enough credit in F1
PA
Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly and Daniel Ricciardo all won in 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively.
But it was Verstappen and Red Bull who reigned supreme last year.
You may like
