Max Verstappen sends Red Bull warning after Lewis Hamilton wins Spanish Grand Prix

F1: Red Bull’s Verstappen gets in shape for new season

SHARE

SHARE

TWEET

SHARE

EMAIL

Click to expand

UP NEXT

Max Verstappen admits he never felt confident about keeping Lewis Hamilton at bay despire stealing top position at the first corner of the Spanish Grand Prix. A lot of importance was placed on coming out of the first corner with the lead at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Hamilton held pole position off the grid, but Verstappen got the better start off the front row and soon took the lead.

The Dutch driver raced out in front to create a gap more than one second, but struggled to increase the distance to Hamilton behind him.

Verstappen was first to stop before the halfway point of the race as Hamilton began to close him down.

And with Hamilton staying out a bit longer on the soft tyres, it looked as though it may work in Verstappen’s favour.

JUST IN: Mercedes chief Toto Wolff rages on radio about Nikita Mazepin

© GETTY Max Verstappen finished second behind Lewis Hamilton

But the seven-time world champion soon began to close down his rival on the fresher tyres and a surprise second pit-stop for Hamilton gave him full control to eventually get the race win.

It now increases Hamilton’s lead over Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship to 14 points.

And while Verstappen felt powerless to hold onto his lead over Hamilton in Spain, the 23-year-old wants to see Red Bull put in the work to bring them closer to their rivals.

“In a way, I saw it coming,” Verstappen told Sky Sports.

DON’T MISS

Lewis Hamilton ‘ecstatic’ with 100th pole position at Spanish GPLewis Hamilton pays classy Mercedes tribute after record 100th poleLewis Hamilton retirement verdict given by Stefano Domenicali © GETTY Max Verstappen struggled to hold off Lewis Hamilton

“Already at the end with the softs he was faster, and then when we were put on the mediums he clearly had a lot more pace, he could just stay within one second.

“There was not much we could have done.

“They went for another stop and then I knew it was over because I was already struggling with the tyres and you could see every lap he was getting closer and closer. I was just a sitting duck.

“We were just clearly lacking pace. I tried everything I could.

“We are not where we want to be. We have to push hard and catch up because at the moment we are a little bit slower.”