‘Max Verstappen is quicker but Lewis Hamilton is better’

Max Verstappen may be the fastest driver out on track but Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes as a complete package, Lewis Hamilton is the “better” of the two.

Marko praises ‘fastest’ Verstappen

Red Bull driver Verstappen completed his best season in Formula 1 in 2019, losing out to only the Mercedes team-mates.

In a campaign where Hamilton once again dominated, taking his sixth Drivers’ Championship, Verstappen laid down his claim as the Brit’s successor.

He secured three race wins, the most of any non-Mercedes driver, to finish the season third in the standings.

Red Bull advisor Marko was full of praise for the 22-year-old, telling Motorsport-Total.com that he is the “fastest” on today’s grid.

“Despite the fact that Lewis Hamilton is already six times World Champion, Max Verstappen is now the fastest in Formula 1,” he said.

But Hamilton is still the ‘best’

But while Marko is well aware of Verstappen’s pace, he is also aware of where the Dutchman is lacking – most notably in experience.

The 2019 championship marked Verstappen’s fifth in Formula 1 with Hamilton lining up on the grid for the 13th year in a row.

It is the experience, which Hamilton is able to apply to different situations, that Marko reckons sets him apart from his Red Bull rival.

“Hitting the road [Max] may be quicker, but if you look at the complete package, Hamilton is still better.

“He is incredibly fast and has a lot of experience. We’ve seen that over and over again.

“He isn’t at the top in the first, second or third free practice, but in qualifying he is there and drives his best lap.

“His racing is impressive. Take Monaco for example: he drove slowly in places where you can’t overtake anyway and thus saved his tyres.

“Or look at his fastest lap in Abu Dhabi. Compared to Max, he is very experienced. That’s a huge advantage.

“He has of course been lucky enough to have driven at the front most of the time, life is just that little bit easier there.

“That’s exactly what we want to change next year.”

Hamilton will remain with Mercedes for the 2020 F1 championship with Verstappen also staying at his team, Red Bull.