F1 News
Lewis Hamilton: Red Bull “not lower than us on power”
- Bevan Youl
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton has said that Red Bull are “not lower than us on power” after they made it a one-two in FP2 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
After Red Bull switched to using Honda engines at the start of this season it has been a positive choice as Max Verstappen has won two of the past three races.
Drivers crashing out and making mistakes at the German Grand prix may have contributed but Verstappen proved that his Red Bull could fight in Austria, powering his way past Mercedes and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for the win.
Hamilton said (quoted by Motorsport Week): “I think what people need to remember is that it’s a multi-championship winning team.
“They’ve always had a very good car. You’ve got Adrian Newey there, who’s one of the best designers there is in the sport.
“They had a slump with a little bit less power, then they had a period of time where they had a little bit less downforce than most people that definitely crept back up and started to utilise the car more.
“Both drivers are starting to put in good performances, so they’re there, and it is clearly a very good car. We’re in a period of time where it suits them.”
Hamilton added that cars perform differently in different places which could be a factor.
The Brit said: “And also people need to remember that sometimes a car is better in other places. The car is not always the best through the whole season.
“Austria, the Red Bull was a better package for that circuit, it worked well in the temperatures and everything. Even compared to us with a good car and against Ferrari.
“It might be that way this weekend, I think Singapore will be strong for them. When we get to the longer places like Monza, it could be different this year, they have a new power unit, they’re not lower than us on power.
“I think in some places they’ve got more power than us. It will be interesting to see how they go in those other places.”