SM
Liverpool vs. Villa: 17 hrs 39 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data

Lewis Hamilton warns Max Verstappen it is "game on"

:Headline: Lewis Hamilton warns Max Verstappen it is 'game on':
Lewis Hamilton has won two of the opening three races, with Max Verstappen victorious in the other.
Sports Mole

Lewis Hamilton has told Max Verstappen it is “game on” as Formula One’s title rivals gear up for the fourth chapter of their championship battle in Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Hamilton holds an eight-point advantage over Verstappen following his second win of the season in Portugal last weekend.

Red Bull started the year with the speediest machinery, but there was an all-too-familiar look to the top of the timesheets at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya on Friday as Hamilton led team-mate Valtteri Bottas in an ominous Mercedes one-two.

Verstappen finished only ninth after he was forced to abandon his hot lap when he ran wide at the new left-handed turn 10.

Verstappen, already 0.134 seconds slower than Hamilton before the error, elected not to run again, thus handing the initiative to Mercedes.

The Dutchman will mark his 100th appearance for Red Bull on Sunday. Verstappen was only 17 when he was handed his debut by Toro Rosso in 2015.

The following year he was promoted to Red Bull, winning for the team in Spain in his maiden drive after Hamilton and Nico Rosberg crashed out.

“Max has more experience now and he is clearly incredibly hungry to win more races and to win this championship so it is game on,” said Hamilton.

“That’s what we are here to do, to race, to be fighting for wins, and the battles that we have had in these first few races have been amazing. I am excited to enjoy more.

“It is crazy to think there are still 20 races to go, and you are seeing the closest battle we have had for some time.

“Max has a championship-winning car and a championship-winning team who can pull off the job if we don’t do ours. From my side, experience will help, but we have to get the job done.”

Verstappen’s championship pedigree will face another stern examination in Barcelona.

Rosberg, the only driver who has been able to stop Hamilton from winning the title in the past seven seasons, believes the Briton’s rival is making too many mistakes.

Verstappen could have started from pole at all of the opening three races but for hiccups in qualifying.

He performed an illegal overtake on Hamilton while dicing for the win at the season opener in Bahrain and then allowed Hamilton to cruise past him in Portimao after running wide while in pursuit of leader Bottas.

Verstappen might also be alarmed by Hamilton’s track record in Spain. The seven-time world champion has not lost at the circuit soil since his collision with Rosberg in 2016.

“We have managed to do a better job, but we cannot continue to rely on mistakes by the others,” added Hamilton, who will be out to claim the 100th pole position of his career on Saturday.

“Personally, I am really happy with my output so far. You are always trying to raise the bar, and to make as few mistakes as possible, and that is something that is very difficult to do.”

For now, their rivalry is amicable, but both Mercedes and Red Bull team principals Toto Wolff and Christian Horner do not expect the niceties will last.

But Verstappen said: “Our relationship is very relaxed. We get on very well and when you respect each other and when you can say to each other, the other one has done a better job, that is important.

“We will fight hard but they will, too, which is good for the sport.”

body check tags ::

amp_article__446441 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-05-07 15:38:49:
html db last update - 2021-05-07 15:38:49 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html

Click here for more stories about Max Verstappen

Click here for more stories about Mercedes

Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Read more about Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Nico Rosberg Valtteri Bottas Formula 1
Follow @SportsMole for the latest breaking news stories, and follow @sm_headlines to get every headline from Sports Mole
Recommended Next on SM
"I agree" - Van Nistelrooy makes striker admission amid Hojlund, Zirkzee struggles
Will Chelsea or Arsenal win five-goal spectacular? Premier League GW11 predictions
Misfiring Gunners: Arsenal at risk of worst run of away form since pre-Wenger days

Page options

Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Preview: Man Utd vs. Leicester - prediction, team news, lineups

1

PM

"Anfield will be raucous": Anfield could be key to beating Aston Villa

2

&W

Real Madrid boss Ancelotti responds to Deschamps's decision to snub Mbappe

3

RM

Preview: Nott'm Forest vs. Newcastle - prediction, team news, lineups

4

PN

Preview: FC Twente vs. Ajax - prediction, team news, lineups

5

PF

Three-horse race? Arsenal 'considering January bid' for £66m wonderkid

6

TR

Preview: Estrela Amadora vs. Nacional - prediction, team news, lineups

7

PE

"I agree" - Van Nistelrooy makes striker admission amid Hojlund, Zirkzee struggles

8

&A

Preview: Rangers vs. Hearts - prediction, team news, lineups

9

PR

Diallo or Rashford? How Man United could line up against Leicester

10

DO


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .