Lewis Hamilton Acknowledges Red Bull’s Dominance: “Fastest Car I’ve Ever Seen in F1

In a frustrating Formula One weekend for Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton expressed awe at the sheer speed of Red Bull’s current car after another one-two finish for the rival team in Saudi Arabia. Sergio Pérez secured the win, while Max Verstappen, overcoming technical troubles in qualifying, charged from 15th place to finish second.

Hamilton, finishing fifth in the race, found himself marveling at the performance of Red Bull’s car, emphasizing its unprecedented speed. Reflecting on the race, he stated, “I have definitely never seen a car so fast. When we were fast, we were not that fast. It is the fastest car I have seen, especially compared to the rest.”

The seven-time champion admitted that the speed difference was evident when Verstappen swiftly overtook him during the race. Despite the desire for a close battle, Hamilton acknowledged the current reality and remarked, “It is not my problem, it is not my fault.”

Mercedes, once a dominant force in F1, is currently struggling to match Red Bull’s pace. In qualifying, Hamilton finished eighth, almost a second behind Pérez on pole, while teammate George Russell secured fourth but remained nearly six-tenths of a second behind. The team, having won eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships from 2014 to 2021, now faces a considerable performance gap.

With Red Bull’s substantial lead, Hamilton acknowledged that Mercedes’ immediate focus is on being competitive with Aston Martin. He stated, “[We are] still a long, long way off Red Bull” and expressed optimism about potential upgrades. Hamilton highlighted the unpredictability of the first three races and emphasized the need to narrow the gap to Aston Martin.

In the Constructors’ Standings, both Mercedes and Aston Martin currently share 38 points after two races, trailing Red Bull by 49 points. The upcoming Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on April 2 marks the next stop in the F1 season after a week-long break.