Montoya downplays Verstappen dominance and calls out Hamilton

Verstappen is steamrolling towards a third straight world title after winning 10 out of the 12 races to be held so far in 2023, including a streak of eight consecutive victories. 

The Dutchman holds a mammoth 125-point lead over Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez and appears unstoppable on his charge to becoming a three-time world champion. 

“Right now [Verstappen] is doing a very good job, but he looks just as invincible as when Hamilton was winning everything, that’s the reality,” seven-times F1 grand prix winner Montoya said in an interview with Semana. 

“Max is a very good driver, but so far in the best car. Max’s speed right now is no better than Max’s speed two years ago, it’s probably the same. The car is much bigger.

“If you take Max out of that car, there are about seven or eight drivers who could be world champions in that car. If he were not there, but Checo, Hamilton, Sainz, Leclerc, they would be world champion.”

Montoya also called out Lewis Hamilton, who won six of his seven world championship during a period of Mercedes dominance between 2014-2020, over his recent complaints about Red Bull’s supremacy. 

"It's very cool to complain when you don't win, but when Lewis won he said that the car didn't give him any advantage. Actually, Mercedes' advantage was as big as what Red Bull currently has," he added. 

"I don't want to say that Hamilton isn't good - on the contrary, he is a great driver. But the reality of this sport is that you have to be in the best car."