Mexico Grand Prix: Lewis Wary of Max

Max Verstappen dominated in the Mexico Grand Prix, his second win in the last few F1 races. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton clinched his fourth title in ninth place after a first-lap collision with Sebastian Vettel. Though Hamilton has won nine GPs this season, he is wary of the growing Verstappen threat. Hamilton is aiming to be better in 2018. The challenge is going to be even bigger from Ferrari and Red Bull next year. Formula 1 doesn’t sleep. It doesn’t stand still. There is always someone there waiting to take my position. I’ve got Max sitting there waiting to take it. I’ve got to raise the game another level in order to stay ahead of him and that motivates me. There’s my motivation already for next year.”

Hamilton cited his three-abreast battle with Verstappen and Vettel at the Mexico Grand Prix start as evidence of the three-way contest ahead in 2018 and beyond. Hamilton said “Max is an exceptional driver. He drove fantastically and to see his racecraft at the start of the race was awesome. I was looking forward to having a battle with him and it is great to see Red Bull up there again.

Hopefully they have a better engine next year and they are more in the fight. I think it would be great for the sport. You have a potential world champion in Max and he is only going to get stronger with age because he has a lot of raw talent. He has a long way to go but these wins are only adding to his great potential and I am looking forward to battling with that. Going down that straight three-abreast with two of the greatest drivers I have come across was…’oh my God’.”