Horner: "Very little to choose" between Hamilton and Verstappen
Red Bull boss Christian Horner hopes to see Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen going head-to-head on-track in the near future, believing there is currently "very little to choose between them"
Mercedes driver Hamilton extended his lead at the top of the Formula 1 drivers' championship to 37 points with a dominant victory in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.
But Verstappen was able to pick up his fifth consecutive podium finish after splitting the Mercedes drivers, crossing the line in second place ahead of Valtteri Bottas.
Verstappen was left satisfied with the result, saying after the race there was little more he could have hoped to achieve given the Red Bull team's pace deficit to the Mercedes cars.
Verstappen has been one of the stand-out performers through the 2020 season to date, and is the only driver outside of Mercedes to win a race after taking a surprise win in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix.
PLUS: The "shock" that gave Mercedes its edge back in Spain
Asked how Verstappen and Hamilton compared in their current form, Red Bull team principal Horner believed there were only fine margins separating their performances.
"They are the two in-form drivers in Formula 1," Horner said on Sky Sports F1 after the race in Barcelona.
"There is very little to choose between them.
"It's interesting, Max is 22 years of age, Lewis is 35, they're at different stages in their career.
"I'm hopeful that in the coming races, we see the two of them go head to head, because I think that's what the viewers would love to see.
"It's what the teams would love to see, and I think it would be good for Formula 1."
Verstappen had been tipped to challenge Mercedes for victory in Barcelona after impressing over the long runs in practice on Friday.
But he was unable to match Hamilton's pace in all three stints of the race, causing him to finish more than 20 seconds off the race winner at the chequered flag.
Horner was nevertheless delighted with Verstappen's result after the Dutchman soundly beat Bottas, having passed the Mercedes driver at the start.
"That was the absolute maximum we could have achieved today," Horner said.
"Max has got everything he can out of the car. To split the Mercedes who had a quicker car than us today, we couldn't have got more than that.
"[I'm] satisfied with Max's drive, and the guys have done an incredible job in the pitlane today. Three of the fastest pitstops, that was all that was them."
Hamilton "humbled and honoured" to break Schumacher's F1 podium record
Vettel: No need for Ferrari review of F1 strategy calls and communication
Porsche boss “as surprised as anyone” over Gulf-Williams F1 social media frenzy
Porsche’s head of motorsport Thomas Laudenbach found it “funny” that streamlining its Instagram channels caused a Formula 1 social media speculation frenzy last month.
Why Albon won't be "throwing around laptops" to gain a 2023 F1 edge
OPINION: At the Williams 2023 Formula 1 season launch, Alex Albon’s easy-going nature was again a point of focus. But does being “too nice” really matter in modern F1? Albon’s own expressions put that in an intriguing new light
Why Alfa Romeo has kept its blade roll hoop on 2023 F1 car
The Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team has retained its unique blade roll hoop for the C43 but designed it to withstand load tests that the FIA will introduce in 2024.
Daly to attempt 2023 Daytona 500 with The Money Team
IndyCar driver Conor Daly has announced plans to enter the 2023 Daytona 500 with The Money Team, making his superspeedway debut in NASCAR Cup.
Why Albon won't be "throwing around laptops" to gain a 2023 F1 edge
OPINION: At the Williams 2023 Formula 1 season launch, Alex Albon’s easy-going nature was again a point of focus. But does being “too nice” really matter in modern F1? Albon’s own expressions put that in an intriguing new light
How the last Sauber-built Alfa offers F1 2023 evolution clues
Alfa Romeo has become the first Formula 1 team to reveal a new car for 2023, in addition to a fresh livery. This offered a first look at some of the understated changes produced by the revised regulations, along with points of convergence in the second year of the ground effect rules
The pioneering F1 car that preceded Lotus’s terminal decline
In the hands of Ayrton Senna the actively suspended 99T would be the last F1 race-winning Lotus but, as STUART CODLING reveals, it was a complicated machine that caused more problems than it solved
How Tyrrell became a racing Rubik’s cube as it faded out of F1
Formula 1’s transformation into a global sport meant the gradual extinction for a small team determined to stay true to its low-budget roots. But Tyrrell would eventually be reborn as a world-beating outfit again, explains MAURICE HAMILTON, albeit in different colours…
Assessing Hamilton's remarkable decade as a Mercedes F1 driver
Many doubted Lewis Hamilton’s move from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 Formula 1 season. But the journey he’s been on since has taken the Briton to new heights - and to a further six world championship titles
Why new look Haas is a litmus test for Formula 1’s new era
OPINION: With teams outside the top three having struggled in Formula 1 in recent seasons, the rules changes introduced in 2022 should have more of an impact this season. How well Haas does, as the poster child for the kind of team that F1 wanted to be able to challenge at the front, is crucial
The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.