The biggest benchmark in Formula 1 is your own teammate. Naturally, when you are strapped alongside someone in equal machinery, the debate about which one is faster becomes a short-lived one. However, it isn’t always the guy who’s playing catch-up that gets his career defined. As Sergio Perez has aptly elucidated in the case of Max Verstappen, the legacy of the one leading the pack is also directly impacted by the quality of his teammate.

Till at least 2021, Lewis Hamilton was considered, unanimously, to be the most dominant F1 driver there ever had been. However, in came Verstappen. And in 2023, he’s breaking records and creating history almost every race weekend! But can his dominant run this year be compared with Hamilton’s heyday?

Sergio Perez the deciding factor in Hamilton v. Verstappen debate

According to ex-Formula 1 insider, Peter Windsor, both Hamilton and Verstappen have had their own days in the sun. But while the duo have been a class apart when leading, its actually the tale of their teammates that defines who triumphs over the other as the better driver in the end.

Verstappen takes Windsor’s vote in this regard. And Sergio Perez is the reason for this. Windsor explained, “I’m not sure Lewis [Hamilton] has ever been that in sync with the car for such a sustained level,” while talking about Verstappen’s Hungarian GP exploits.

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“[Lewis Hamilton] had a great car for many years, but there’s always been another driver who is quick in the Mercedes basically, even Valtteri [Bottas] occasionally got the best of him.”

Read More: “Even Mercedes Couldn’t”: Riding the Wave of Glory, Max Verstappen Brutally Humiliates Lewis Hamilton and Co.

Hamilton’s days of domination may now be only in the past, but he isn’t too happy about Verstappen enjoying his.

Lewis Hamilton demands Verstappen to be reigned in

The way Verstappen and Red Bull have been operating in tandem, they might as well win every single race in the 2023 season! However, Lewis Hamilton has ensured that the dominance of 2023 that the Bulls have enjoyed will not carry forward to 2024.

The Mercedes talisman was quoted as suggesting, “If you are so far ahead, you don’t need to develop the car so you can start early with the next car and with the budget cap you can spend this year’s money on next year’s. But if everyone had a time where you could only start on next year’s car – say August 1 – no one has a head start. Then it is a real race in that short space of time for the future car. Maybe that would help everyone be closer the following year. I might be wrong, but something has to change,” by The Daily Mail.

WATCH THIS STORY | New Lewis Hamilton F1 documentary coming to Apple TV+

Can Lewis Hamilton be the one to put Max Verstappen’s dominant run to an end?