Debate | Hamilton could have achieved first victory of 2022 in Zandvoort

With Max Verstappen winning, the outcome of the Dutch Grand Prix may not have been a surprise, but one thing became clear: Mercedes have never come this close to winning during the current Formula One season. Would victory have been possible for Lewis Hamilton if the team had made a different strategic choice, or was Verstappen inevitable either way?

Could Mercedes have secured first win of 2022?

Of course, the race went the way it did and local hero Verstappen emerged victorious. Mercedes, however, were strong all weekend and for a while things looked very good for Hamilton during the race. The driver criticised his team's choices during the late safety car, after which he became a target for his rivals who had stopped for new softs.

No one can say for sure what would have happened if Mercedes had kept George Russell out to cover for his team-mate, but the killing pace Verstappen showed on softs suggests the Dutchman might have won the race anyway. What do you think?