Hamilton experience counts for nothing in F1 title fight - Verstappen

Max Verstappen has dismissed suggestions Lewis Hamilton's experience of fighting for the F1 title in the past could be an advantage in the second half of this season.

Mercedes driver Hamilton has a record-breaking eighth championship in his sights as he heads into this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix with a slender eight-point lead over his Red Bull rival.

By contrast, this year is the first in which Verstappen has been a true title contender.

Asked if Hamilton's experience of managing a title challenge could be an advantage, Verstappen said: “Personally, I don’t think so.

"The only advantage you can really have is just if you have a faster car.

“In this sport, it is so dominant when you have a good car. There are so many good drivers in this sport but they don’t have the opportunities to fight at the front.

“If you have seven titles, or one, or zero, I think at the end of the day when you have spent a few years in F1, and especially more towards the front like the top five, you know that you have to try to finish every race.

“You know that you have to try and score the most available points every single weekend and I think all of us always try to do our best and race in the best possible way.

“So I don’t really see the advantage there.”

Red Bull "positive" ahead of season restart

Verstappen and Red Bull surrendered the lead in both the drivers' and constructors' championships at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

After registering just five points from the past two weekends in Britain and Hungary, Verstappen is raring to get back into action.

“We’ve had a lot of very good races," added Verstappen. "It’s just the last two that didn’t go our way [and that was] out of our control.

“I’m very positive. The team is looking forward to getting started again and there is still a lot of races to be held so let’s see how it goes.”

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