Lewis Hamilton’s claims that Red Bull should be banned by F1 regulations from shifting emphasis to next year’s vehicle have been dismissed by Max Verstappen, who claims the Mercedes driver has changed his tune since his own dominant time.
Hamilton unleashed a stinging assessment of Red Bull before of their home race in Austria, stating that their punishment for exceeding F1’s cost restriction had no influence on their on-track performance. He also voiced disappointment that Red Bull, who has won all eight races in the current 2023 season, may shift their focus to creating their 2024 vehicle whenever they choose, lowering the prospects of other teams catching up in following seasons.
Hamilton proposed that the FIA introduce a regulation that prohibits teams from working on their next season’s vehicle until August 1 of the current year. Lewis has won multiple championships, but Verstappen controversially won the title in 2021, leaving Hamilton without a win since. Verstappen, on the other hand, has won 31 of the past 52 races and is looking for his fifth consecutive victory at the Austrian Grand Prix.
During the Red Bull Ring media session, Verstappen dismissed Hamilton’s worries regarding car development.
Verstappen told Sky Sports F1: “We weren’t talking about that when he was winning his Championships, right? So I don’t think we should now.
“That’s how Formula 1 works.
“When you have a competitive car it’s great, but at one point you also have to look ahead to the next year.
“It’s normal, of course, [for] people behind to say these kinds of things, but they should also not forget how it was looking when they were winning and if people would comment these kinds of things then probably they would comment a bit different, but that’s how it goes in Formula 1.”
