After describing Max Verstappen as “almost unbeatable,” Lewis Hamilton fears he will finish the season without a single victory for the first time in his Formula One career.
Verstappen, who won the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, could clinch his second world championship at the next round in Singapore on October 2nd.
Hamilton started 19th and finished fifth in Monza, but the seven-time world champion faces losing his record of winning at least one race in every season since his debut in 2007.
“We have to be realistic,” Hamilton, 37, said. “That Red Bull is nearly invincible. It’s going to take a lot of effort to beat that car.
Verstappen is in charge.
With only six rounds remaining and 164 points available, Verstappen now has a commanding 116-point lead over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
Assume Verstappen wins in Singapore and receives a bonus point for the fastest lap. If Leclerc finishes no higher than eighth and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez does not finish on the podium, he will be crowned world champion for the second time.
Verstappen’s charge from seventh to first in Monza was cut short by the safety car after Daniel Ricciardo’s McLaren could not be removed in time for a restart.
When the Red Bull driver ascended the podium, Ferrari fans booed him, but Verstappen responded: “At the end of the day, I came here to win the race, and I did.
“Of course, some people are unable to appreciate this because they are ardent supporters of another team. However, it will not ruin my day. I’m just living in the moment.”
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