Max Verstappen is hoping to win his third consecutive Drivers’ Championship this weekend when he takes to the track in Qatar, and he could even be triumphant before Sunday’s race is even underway. If the Dutchman finishes in the top six of Saturday’s sprint then he will reign victorious.

Verstappen’s success means that Lewis Hamilton has endured another season without truly competing for the title, and the Mercedes star has now altered his expectations. Despite his previous seven championships, the Brit now feels that simply topping the podium would be his ‘greatest triumph’.

He told Swiss publication Blick: “We’ll be coming back. We can do it. The next step to the top podium will come. And it will probably be my greatest triumph in my career.”

With Red Bull also winning the constructors’ championship, Mercedes are also hopeful of remaining in second place this season. They hold a 20-point lead over Ferrari as it stands, though other teams – such as McClaren – are hoping to pounce in what remains of the season.

Lewis Hamilton has commended Max Verstappen for a “faultless” season as the Dutchman closes on a third successive drivers’ title; watch all sessions from the Qatar GP on Sky Sports F1, with qualifying Friday and the Sprint Saturday, when Verstappen could become champion

Lewis Hamilton has praised Max Verstappen for a “phenomenal” 2023 campaign and says the Red Bull driver and his team have “raised the bar” in Formula 1.

Verstappen is on the brink of winning his third successive drivers’ title going into this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix, with the Dutchman likely to complete his triumph in Saturday’s Sprint.

Since controversially losing out to Verstappen in their fierce 2021 title contest, seven-time world champion Hamilton has rarely offered up praise for his rival.

Asked what Verstappen’s triumph will do for his standing in the sport, Mercedes’ Hamilton said: “I wouldn’t rank him. I think ranking people is an opinion-based thing.

“I think he’s earned his position, he’s done an amazing job with the package that he has.

“Him and the team have been phenomenal this year, faultless, and I think they’ve raised the bar.

“As a team we have to look at that, and say, ‘ok, these are the areas that we need to develop to be able to match that and compete’.

“I do hope at some stage we can fight them and actually have them in a defending position, but they should definitely enjoy the moment because they’ve worked for it.”

Meanwhile Fernando Alonso, another multiple champion and legendary driver in his own right, said on Thursday he had “big respect” for Verstappen’s year.

“Big congratulations on any incredible season breaking so many records,” said the 2005-2006 champion.

“When you win so many races, and they were not easy races. Sometimes they were tricky with weather conditions we went through.”

Asked if Verstappen could yet be compared to other F1 greats he had raced closely against such as quadruple champion Sebastian Vettel and seven-time title winners Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, Alonso replied: “I think honestly I’ve only been wheel-to-wheel with Michael…”

Pressed if he could therefore compare Verstappen to Schumacher, Alonso replied: “Maybe. We have to wait and see. I think the next few years will be even better for Max, to be honest. He will keep adding championships so we will compare to Michael even closer in the future.”

Hamilton: Wearing rainbow helmet in 2021 was nerve-wracking

When Formula 1 debuted in Qatar in 2021, Hamilton showed his support for the LGBTQ+ community by wearing a crash helmet with the Progress Pride flag on it.

The Brit admitted on Thursday that he found wearing the helmet “nerve-wracking” in a country where same-sex relations are illegal.

Hamilton, who has repeatedly used his platform to raise awareness around human rights issues, says that “every single person could be doing more” to improve the situation, as Qatar begins a 10-year deal to host F1.

“I think it’s always good and well raising awareness for things, but it’s more about the work that’s done in the background, the conversations that you continue to have to have,” he said.

“It’s such a big machine to shift as well, it’s not only the people here, it’s a whole country – that’s very young, particularly in this part of the world.

It’s taken the west a long, long time to get to where they are, so I think all we can do is just try to be positive when we do come to these places, and do take the opportunity, so that’s why I continue to.

“With the flag here, I was really proud of 2021. It was also nerve-wracking because I didn’t know how the country would react, but it’s amazing when I do meet people who are incredibly grateful for utilising the platform for something like that.

“As a sport we have to continue to work our inclusivity, diversity continues to be an issue.”

LEWIS HAMILTON has spoken about his discussions with Ferrari over what would have been a shock move away from Mercedes.

The seven-time world champion had been linked with a switch to The Pancing Horse before he put pen to paper on a new two-year deal with Mercedes.

Hamilton is earning an eye-watering £50m per year in his fresh terms with the Silver Arrows and the deal came after persistent rumours of a £40m contract at Ferrari.

But the Englishman has now confirmed that the Italian’s offer never arrived and all talks were purely informal.

When asked by Swiss outlet Blick if he was ever offered a contract, he said: “Never. Okay, we’ve definitely had a few irrelevant conversations.

“I know a lot of good people there. But I never felt ready to move to Italy.”

Hamilton had previously described a move to Ferrari as a “dream position” back in 2021, but obviously didn’t come as close as many thought to seeing it materialise this summer.

There has been mounting pressure on the 38-year-old to move away from Mercedes after the team have fallen too far behind Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

Former F1 star Johnny Herbert even said he thought that Hamilton would be the perfect fit for Ferrari and should have made the move to secure an elusive eighth world title.

Speaking to The Mirror, he explained: “He may be aware of what may be happening in the future with Mercedes and has been satisfied that is where his future is.

“Still, I would have liked to have seen the final part of his career in a Ferrari. I honestly think he was the right character and the perfect fit for them.

“If he is happy where he is, for him, that is the best mental place for him to be. You have got to have belief in where you are at and Lewis does, which is why he re-signed.

“Based on the last couple of years, I don’t see Lewis getting an eighth title.

“The car has got better since they changed from the original concept, but they are only as good as the gap behind Red Bull.”

Max Verstappen will be able to wrap up his third Drivers’ Championship title in Qatar this weekend before the race even begins on Sunday. The Dutchman only needs to finish in the top six in Saturday’s sprint to secure the end-of-season honours and officially extend Lewis Hamilton’s barren spell for another year.

Verstappen still has a long way to go in order to match Hamilton’s impressive tally of seven titles, but he does not appear to be overly fussed about knocking the Brit off his perch. He recently insisted that although it is fun to break records, he remains focused on taking things one step at a time and doing the best he can at each and every Grand Prix weekend.

“It’s good but at the other end I’m not too focused about it,” he told the Mind Set Win podcast when quizzed on the prospect of smashing more F1 records.

“I just want to do the best I can every single time I’m in the car, and if that means that you break a record, okay, great, but it’s more important what you are doing and achieving. At the end of the day, my goal this year is to win the championship.”

It seems like there’s more drama off the track than on it for Mercedes these days. Ever since Mercedes made the bold decision to bring young talent George Russell on board, sidelining Valtteri Bottas, there’s been an electric buzz of rivalry. Add to that Russell’s commendable performance beating 7-time champion Lewis Hamilton last season, and you have the perfect recipe for a turbulent team relationship.

During the recent Japanese GP, the two were more “Fast & Furious” than any brotherhood. While most drivers aim to beat the competition, it looked like Hamilton and Russell were more keen on outdoing each other. Russell’s radio message, “Are we fighting each other or what”, says it all. Drama, drama, drama.

Recently, Russell sat down for a chat on the F1 Beyond the Grid podcast with Tom Clarkson. The youngster will be celebrating his 100th Grand Prix in Austin. To put that into perspective, that’s as many races as the legendary Jackie Stewart did in his entire career. Russell confidently mentioned, “I really feel like I’m only just getting started… I think I’m performing at a really high level.” He didn’t stop there.

In a not-so-subtle nod to his Mercedes teammate, he added, “I’m really happy with my own personal performance, but I recognize that you need to sustain this performance and be ready for when the car gives you that opportunity. And I think Max and Lewis are a perfect example. Yeah, Max [Verstappen] isn’t suddenly one second faster a driver than he was in 2020, and Lewis isn’t suddenly one second a lap slower than he was in 2020.” Ouch!

The conclusion of Russell’s idea brings out the frustrating reality of F1 – that even if a driver is exceptionally skilled, they sometimes have to wait for the right opportunity. He mentions that he’s not the only driver currently in this position, suggesting that many are waiting for their chance to shine based on the cars and situations they’re in.

Russell’s conviction that he’s “just getting started” resonates strongly with the sentiment that there’s a change on the horizon. And it’s not just about the number of races but the mindset and intent behind every race. But while Russell is primed to rise, he’s also realistic about the challenges ahead, as the young gun knows all too well the intricacies and politics of F1.

Mercedes showdown: George Russell gears up to challenge Lewis Hamilton

If the F1 tracks had walls, they’d be echoing whispers of an impending ‘changing of the guard’ at Mercedes. The much-touted George Russell, after hopping onto the Mercedes ride last year, seems determined to stamp his presence alongside the revered Lewis Hamilton. However, that journey has been, shall we say, a bit bumpy off late.

Riding high on ambition, Russell appeared set to take on the mantle of ‘team leader.’ But with Hamilton’s pen committing two more years to Mercedes and not even a hint of slowing his F1 pace, George might need to hit the brakes on that aspiration. For now.