Max Verstappen was the only driver able to challenge the dominant Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas last season.
And, while many in the paddock consider Verstappen to be the most talented driver on the current F1 grid – especially as he outperformed the Mercedes on a few occasions despite driving an inferior car – not everyone is in agreement.
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Ex-F1 driver Mark Webber has said he believes that Max Verstappen can match Lewis Hamilton in qualifying, but he is still some way off his level on race day.
“Max did a very, very, very good job,“ Webber said following the season finale in Abu Dhabi, which Verstappen won ahead of the two Silver Arrows.
“He is in the final phase of fine-grinding his craftsmanship, if I may put it that way. Is he already Lewis Hamilton on Saturday, in that he is the same as Lewis in the qualifications? Yes.
“Is he already Lewis on Sunday? No, he is not. But that’s normal,” he added.
Continuing, Webber described Verstappen and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc as the “hotshots” of Formula One and suggested that they are the future of the sport.
“There aren’t many drivers who get into such a situation: that you can dominate for a while and have the peace and regularity to do so without becoming complacent.
“That is experience. That is what he has to learn.
“He and Charles Leclerc, by the way. They are the hotshots coming up.”
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