Lewis Hamilton has been snubbed by a Formula 1 team boss with a bold claim that has left fans divided.
The seven-time world champion is often included in debates over who is the greatest F1 driver of all time, and is tied with Michael Schumacher for the most number of world titles in the history of the sport.
Hamilton has also achieved the most race wins of any other driver with 105 to his name, alongside 104 pole positions and 201 podium finishes.
However, the Brit has no intention of ending his career anytime soon, and will join Ferrari in 2025 in an attempt to secure a historic eighth world title.
Hamilton will also partner Charles Leclerc next season, with the pair expected to be an evenly matched line-up.
The Monagasque star has revealed that he is eagerly anticipating competing against Hamilton, and believes he can beat the champion once they are both at Ferrari.
However, Hamilton’s move to the team displaced their current driver Carlos Sainz, who was forced to look elsewhere for a 2025 drive.
Initially, Sainz was tipped to swap with Hamilton and join Mercedes, however this option did not materialise for the Spaniard, and he eventually settled on Williams, where he will partner Alex Albon.
Team boss James Vowles, who worked with Hamilton at Mercedes, is confident that their line-up can steer them to the front of the grid, especially with the regulation changes in 2026.
"For 2025, I think we have the best driver line-up on the grid," Vowles insisted on the latest Beyond the Grid podcast.
However, one fan on social media was quick to rubbish this claim, believing that with Hamilton and Leclerc, Ferrari possessed the strongest driver line-up for next year.
"This might be the dumbest statement to make considering Hamilton and Leclerc will be team-mates next season," wrote one X user.
James Vowles: "We will have the best driver lineup on the grid in 2025"
This might be the dumbest statement to make considering Hamilton and Leclerc will be teammates next season. pic.twitter.com/H7cFOY3oAz
Another F1 fan claimed that the Hamilton-Leclerc duo wasn't the only one that betters Williams' lineup, claiming: "Hamilton and Leclerc definitely a better driver lineup than Sainz and Albon. So are Norris and Piastri."
Meanwhile one fan stuck up for Vowles, saying: "I think James is trying to inspire confidence, without understanding the necessity of humility in this context."
One X user admitted to a pinch themselves moment, as excitement over the 2025 F1 season grows. "Sometimes I wake and realise that this is not a dream and we’re getting Ferrari Lewis in a few months such a surreal feeling."