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Quashing Fabricated “Media” Narrative Against Verstappen by Hamilton, Ex Teammate Delivers Shocking Verdict

Published 09/09/2023, 7:00 AM EDT

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The world of Formula 1 is known for its rapid twists and turns. One day, a statement makes waves, and the next, it’s contradicted by surprising news. This twist involves Lewis Hamilton‘s ex-teammate, who, despite acknowledging the 7x champ’s remarkable career against top drivers, has debunked a recent “media”-spun narrative. What makes this even more intriguing is that it was the Stevenage man himself who endorsed this narrative last week, attempting to downplay Max Verstappen’s achievements. The big question now remains: What is that shocking verdict that Hamilton’s former teammate provided?

Lewis Hamilton, who dominated the Formula 1 track throughout the hybrid era, has taken issue with the media’s portrayal of Max Verstappen‘s success. He points out that during his reign, he faced formidable champions like Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, Nico Rosberg, and Valtteri Bottas, who helped him reach peak performance. To put things into more perspective, according to crash.net, Hamilton believes that the 25-year-old’s achievements are being excessively hyped, implying that the media is creating a hero narrative for him. The exact fact that has now been quashed by the Mercedes maestro’s ex-teammate.

How did Lewis Hamilton’s ex-teammate deliver shocking updates?

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After the Dutchman’s recent strong performances, particularly outqualifying his teammate Perez by a significant margin in races like the Dutch GP, Hamilton seeks to highlight that he has achieved similar feats, often against even stronger competition, during his own period of dominance. In his conversation with Sky Italy he said, ” The narrative, that goes through the media… you know when I qualified half a second, six tenths ahead of Valtteri, they didn’t say the same thing as they say today when Max qualifies six tenths ahead of Perez – it’s blown up much more.”

He added, “In my personal opinion, Valtteri [Bottas], and all of my teammates, have been stronger than the teammates that Max has had.” Despite Lewis Hamilton’s attempts to downplay Max Verstappen’s dominance, a different narrative emerges from his teammate’s perspective. In a video shared by Sky Sports F1, Hamilton’s former teammate and former champion, Jenson Button, dismisses the fabricated media narrative that the 38-year-old promoted against the Red Bull ace.

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The ex-McLaren driver has challenged the Briton’s stance, signaling a different viewpoint as he said, ” I think Lewis has had some very tough team-mates – he’s had world champions as team-mates, whereas Max hasn’t. But, for me, I would be more fearful of going up against Max in the same car. I think it’s because the car is designed around his style, or that he can drive a car that Adrian Newey gives him. I think Adrian Newey gives him a car and says, ‘This is the quickest car in the world.”

Later turning down any chance to race against Verstappen, Button said, ” I think Lewis has had more difficult team-mates, but I also wouldn’t want to go up against Max.”

While Jenson Button sided with Verstappen, getting a balanced perspective is key. And who better than a legendary F1 driver currently competing against both rivals offering a unique viewpoint? Interested in hearing it? Let’s dive in.

Amidst the intense rivalry for dominance, Fernando Alonso takes aim at both Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen

Fernando Alonso, a seasoned F1 driver with over two decades of experience, has set his sights on claiming another championship. The Spanish driver, renowned for his candid remarks and switching teams, has put aside his championship aspirations for a moment to direct his attention toward both elite drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen’s ongoing debate. According to a tweet by RBR news, Alonso addressed a burning question, whether Hamilton and Verstappen have built their teams around their driving style for dominance.

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While refuting such notion Alonso followed some stats and said, When Hamilton went to Mercedes [in 2013], he didn’t build anything to be champion. It was just a change of [hybrid engines] regulations that changed everything on the grid and raised Mercedes. I think the same with Max, when he joined Toro Rosso and Red Bull, Hamilton continued to earn his all.”

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Fernando Alonso’s recent perspective poses a question: Is Max Verstappen’s ascension as a dominant force in Formula 1 solely a result of destiny (right man at the right place), or is there a more complex narrative driving his success?

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Written by:

Aditya Srivastava

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Aditya Srivastava is an F1 writer at EssentiallySports with over two years of writing experience. He developed a keen interest in the sport after the unforgettable Abu Dhabi 2021 race. As a graduate of a premier institute, Aditya is committed to producing high-quality content that is engaging, informative, and accurate.
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Edited by:

Aishwary Gaonkar