Max Verstappen told Red Bull ace’s main F1 title rival amid Lewis Hamilton ‘gift’ claim

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Ziggo Sport’s Formula 1 presenter Rob Kamphues believes Lewis Hamilton was ‘given’ three of his titles but still feels the Mercedes driver is Max Verstappen’s biggest rival.

Kamphues expects to see Hamilton will emerge as the man most likely to threaten to knock Verstappen off the top in 2024. The Mercedes and Red Bull drivers have not fought over the drivers’ championship since the 2021 season. But the two titans might clash again this year.

Verstappen beat Hamilton to the title in 2021 in very controversial circumstances which also saw Michael Masi leave his position as the race director. The former FIA chief took a unique look at the rulebook to hand the Red Bull driver a lap to pass Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi GP.

Max Verstappen controversially beat Lewis Hamilton to the 2021 F1 drivers’ championship

Hamilton had one hand on a record-breaking eighth title before Nicolas Latifi crashed in the closing stages. The Canadian’s shunt obliged a safety car period to clear his ruined Williams from the circuit. But the 2021 season finale should then have finished behind the safety car.

Yet Masi only allowed the five lapped cars between race-leader Hamilton and Verstappen to re-join the lead lap. He then resumed the race with one lap left and after Red Bull had given their man new tyres. Even though the rules obliged a lap after drivers unlapped themselves.

Hamilton was then powerless to defend from Verstappen, who won the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP to secure his maiden title. The 26-year-old has since continued to dominate F1 with the title in 2022 and also 2023. His 2023 campaign was also the most dominant season in F1 history.

Rob Kamphues tips the Mercedes star as the Red Bull driver’s biggest title threat for 2024

Verstappen will now look to match Sebastian Vettel’s run of four straight titles between the 2010 and 2013 seasons in 2024. While Hamilton remains searching for the title that will put the 39-year-old clear of Michael Schumacher. And Kamphues senses they may duel in 2024.

But the Ziggo Sport presenter has also slammed Hamilton by suggesting the Mercedes star was handed three of his seven titles to date as a ‘gift’. The Briton won his first title in 2008 with McLaren by a point to Felipe Massa, after passing Timo Glock on the final lap in Brazil.

Hamilton did not win another title until the 2014 season as Mercedes aced the start of the hybrid power unit era. He beat then-teammate Nico Rosberg to the crown at the final race in Abu Dhabi. But Hamilton took the title more comfortably in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Kamphues outlined on Formule1.NL’s Paddockpraat podcast: “With those seven world titles, I always think: ‘He was given three as a gift’. But when I see him now driving against George Russell – who I really think highly of – then Hamilton might be the man who should do it.”

Hamilton clinched the F1 title with three races remaining for the 2015 and 2020 seasons. He further secured an ultimate winning margin of 59 and 124 points respectively. While he took the titles in 2017 (by 46 points), 2018 (88 points) and 2019 (87 points) with two races to go.