Lewis Hamilton says something HAS TO change as Max Verstappen dispute continues

Lewis Hamilton

Hamilton says something HAS TO change as Verstappen dispute continues

The seven-time world champion wants to level the playing field in the sport

Lauren Sneath

Friday 30 June 2023 20:42

Lewis Hamilton has clarified that he was not talking about ‘any one particular person’ when he suggested a mandated date for when Formula 1 teams can start to work on their car for the following season.

The Mercedes driver’s comments about an idea to level the playing field in the sport come amid a period of Red Bull dominance led by Max Verstappen.

The Dutchman did not take kindly to Hamilton’s comments, saying that such ideas were not discussed when Hamilton enjoyed his own winning streak, so they should not be on the table now.

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The seven-time world champion has now clarified his comments. He said: “It’s not aimed at any one particular person or anything. It’s just obviously in my 17 years of being here, even before I got here, you see a period of time of dominance, and it continues to happen.

Hamilton: 'Something's got to change'

“I was really fortunate to have one of those periods that Max is having now. But with the way it’s going, it will continue to happen over and over again, and I don’t think we need that in sport.

“In my personal experience when you’re so far ahead...you don’t really need to do a lot more development on your car, and you can start earlier on your next car. And with a budget cap that means spending that year’s money on the next year’s car."

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen have battled it out on track for years

He continued: “But if everyone had a time for example, if everyone knows when we can really start, whatever date it is – October is way too late probably but 1 August, something like that – then no one has a head start, and then it’s a real race in that short space of time for the future car.

“I don’t know, maybe that would help everyone be closer the following year maybe. I might be wrong but something’s got to change. When we were winning world championships, we could start earlier than everybody else.”

Verstappen hits back

The Red Bull driver had previously shown displeasure at Hamilton’s original comments. In response, he told Sky Sports: "We weren't talking about that when he was winning his championships, so I don't think we should now,.

“That’s how Formula 1 works. When you have a competitive car, it’s great. But at one point of course you also have to look ahead to next year.

“It’s normal of course that the people behind say this kind of thing, but they should also not forget that when they were winning, how it was looking and if people would comment these kinds of things.

“They would comment a bit different but that’s how it goes in Formula 1.”