MICK SCHUMACHER has taken umbrage with the notion that anyone would have a chance at the Formula 1 title if they were driving for Mercedes. The son of legend Michael called F1 titleholder Max Verstappen “arrogant” for suggesting as much after old quotes from the Red Bull star recently resurfaced.
Verstappen, 24, has shared a rivalry with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in recent seasons and finally ended his wait for a maiden championship in December.
The Dutchman’s most successful season to date proved Red Bull remain relevant in the F1 stakes and ended Mercedes’ seven-year grip on the drivers’ title.
However, it was back in November 2020 that Verstappen appeared resentful towards the Mercedes mechanics, pushing the notion that their car is significantly superior to the rest of the field.
He even suggested that “90 per cent” of F1 drivers would be capable of winning with a Mercedes-built car, appearing to discount the talents of Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.
“No, I’m not frustrated about that,” Verstappen told the official F1 website at the time with Mercedes having already wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship and Hamilton well on his way to a seventh world title.
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It appears that focus has paid off after guiding Red Bull to their first championship since 2013 when Sebastian Vettel was still part of their stable.
However, the younger Schumacher—whose father, Michael, drive for Mercedes in the years leading up to his 2012 retirement—has offered his two cents on those past comments.
Seven-time champion Schumacher Sr. came out of retirement in 2010 to spend three seasons at Mercedes, but he failed to win in 58 races under their banner and only podiumed once.
“Everyone deserves their place in Formula 1 and anyone can drive here,” the younger Schumacher—who is set to race for Haas again in 2022—told Corriere dello Sport.
“But you can only say you can win a race with Mercedes if you sit in it. Conversely, it’s an arrogant consideration.”
Having seen his dad struggle to recapture his former glories while driving for Mercedes, Schumacher has more licence than most to doubt Verstappen’s assertion.
While it may be a widely held belief that Mercedes’ engineering team has had a major hand in their F1 domination of recent years, many would agree it’s ultimately the drivers who decide races.
Verstappen has all the more reason to push that narrative after ending his own wait for an F1 title, lest he suggest Red Bull’s mechanics were more responsible for the feat than him.
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