F1: ‘I’ve never seen a car so fast’, says Lewis Hamilton of Red Bull

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Formula One F1 – Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – March 19, 2023 Mercedes Lewis Hamilton in action during the race REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

Lewis Hamilton, winner of a record 103 Formula One Grand Prix and seven world championships, said on Sunday he had never seen a car as fast as Max Verstappen’s Red Bull.

The Mercedes driver was followed by a double world championship as Verstappen powered from 15th on the grid to second in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix won by Mexican Sergio Perez’s Red Bull.

It was Red Bull’s second one-two in two races this season and the only point they have missed out on so far is the bonus for fastest lap in Bahrain.

“I’ve never seen a car that fast,” Hamilton told reporters after finishing fifth in Jeddah.

“When we’re fast, we’re not too fast.

“It’s the fastest car I think I’ve ever seen, especially compared to the others. I don’t know how or why but it’s coming up to me so fast.

“I didn’t even bother to block because of the huge speed difference.”

Before the race, Hamilton reckoned Red Bull had an advantage of one and a half seconds per lap.

Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell, who finished fourth and was promoted to third before being demoted back to fourth during the review, said in Bahrain that he could see Red Bull winning every race.

“You have to give credit to what Red Bull have done,” the Englishman said on Sunday.

“The gap that exists in the rest of the field, I think is bigger than we have seen since Mercedes in 2014. It is a serious, serious gap and I think everyone has to work hard to know how to close that gap.

“But we know we didn’t make the right decisions during the winter and I think we can get some of those performances faster than usual. So all is not lost.”

Mercedes won eight consecutive constructors’ titles from 2014 until Red Bull dethroned them last year.

Hamilton, who made his F1 debut with McLaren in 2007, has won six titles with Mercedes.

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