Lewis Hamilton acknowledges that Red Bull has accomplished what he believed was unfeasible.
Lewis Hamilton has confessed that he never anticipated Red Bull could construct an engine superior to those of Mercedes or Ferrari. However, following the team’s collaboration with Ford, which has resulted in what the FIA recognizes as the standard for internal combustion engines, Hamilton states that the team has "proven everyone wrong".
Red Bull's power unit debuted this season, and Max Verstappen has already secured victories in the Bahrain and Singapore Grands Prix utilizing its capabilities.
When questioned if he concurred with Isack Hadjar's assertion that Ferrari, rather than Red Bull, possessed the fastest car in Singapore, Hamilton responded thoughtfully regarding the young racer.
“Firstly, I think Isack is a remarkable driver. We are going to have differing perspectives on this. Ultimately, they’ve done an incredible job. Red Bull has consistently impressed me over many years. I openly acknowledged many years ago when I was younger.
"I thought there’s no way they could achieve what other teams like McLaren and Ferrari, with their rich history, have accomplished, but they have indeed proven me wrong, and they’ve sustained remarkable success throughout the years.
"However, regarding the engine, I believed there was no chance anyone could develop a better engine than what Mercedes or Ferrari could create, given their resources, experience, and intellectual property.
"Once again, they have proven us wrong, everyone wrong, and they’ve built the finest engine.”
The seven-time world champion noted that Red Bull had bounced back from a challenging start to the season.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
“Clearly, they had a somewhat shaky beginning, but as seen last year, they possess an exceptional car, outstanding drivers, and evidently strong leadership. I think they will be extremely difficult to... they matched our speed through all the corners in the last race, which is our strength, and they are now three to four tenths faster on the straights.”
Red Bull opted to manufacture its own engines following Honda’s initial decision to exit F1, establishing Red Bull Powertrains in Milton Keynes and partnering with Ford for the new regulations.
This advancement has come at the cost of competitors who have significantly more experience in constructing F1 engines. Hamilton’s remarks echo those made by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who previously noted that Red Bull had become “the most consistently fast car” in recent weeks.
Heading into the weekend, Red Bull is seven points behind McLaren in the battle for third in the constructors’ championship, with Verstappen aiming for a third consecutive win. The Dutch driver recorded the second-fastest time in FP1, trailing only Charles Leclerc.
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