Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen as teammates: Perez reveals what would happen

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen has developed into one of the great Formula 1 rivalries, though many connected to the sport have fantasised over what would happen if they were teammates.

Hamilton would not survive. That is the blunt answer provided by Verstappen’s former Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, who says that no driver has what it takes to keep head above water as a Red Bull teammate to Verstappen.

Max Verstappen would defeat Lewis Hamilton too, says Perez

Hamilton and Verstappen delivered an all-time classic battle over the 2021 Drivers’ Championship, one which went all the way to the last race in Abu Dhabi, where the duo arrived level on points, winner takes all. Verstappen emerged victorious as a World Champion for the first time.

The defensive driving exploits of Perez proved a major boost for Verstappen on his way to that first title, but over the years, Perez’s performance suffered, to the point that he departed Red Bull after the 2024 campaign.

Liam Lawson lasted just two races as his replacement, while Yuki Tsunoda has also struggled severely alongside Verstappen at Red Bull.

Sky F1’s Karun Chandhok put it to Perez that it was tough last year up against Verstappen, driving a tricky Red Bull, while he had “people like me and all of us saying: ‘Come on Checo! You’re half a second off. What’s going on here?'”

“You haven’t been saying that much to the current ones have you,” Perez replied.

Told that it is not true, and that Tsunoda has been even further away from Verstappen, as was Lawson, Perez was asked if he feels a sense of vindication considering the struggles experienced by both successors.

“I think people, you know from the outside… I don’t like criticising the drivers that have been there, because I was in that position. I know what exactly they’re going through.

“The minute I signed my exit with Red Bull, when we came to an agreement, I knew that, poor guy who comes here, because I managed to survive. It’s a very difficult place.

“Obviously, being next to Max is very difficult. But being next to Max in Red Bull, it’s something people don’t understand, and there’s so many things that I could tell you about it, but it’s simply just a very difficult job for a driver.”

There has been no shortage of theories over the years to try to explain why Verstappen’s teammates struggle so much. The car is built and developed around Verstappen, some say. It is Verstappen’s unique driving style, which teammates cannot drive a Red Bull with, others claim.

Perhaps, it is just that Verstappen is that much better than the drivers put alongside him at Red Bull.

Perez pointed towards one of those theories, and argued that you could take a seven-time World Champion in Hamilton, or his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc – regarded as one of the fastest drivers in F1 – but put them next to Verstappen, and they will suffer the same fate.

“There is no driver that can survive there,” Perez bluntly stated. “It doesn’t matter if you bring Hamilton or Leclerc, whoever you bring there, is going to struggle massively.

“It’s a very unique driving style that you have to constantly be adapting to the needs of Max. Simple as that.”

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Perez will get a shot at redemption, as he will be back on the grid for F1 2026. Perez, and fellow F1 veteran Valtteri Bottas, are sidelined no more having joined Cadillac to form their first F1 driver line-up.

Perez comes back with a point to prove, and a belief that he will surpass people’s expectations.

“I’m very excited, because I believe that I still have a lot to give to the sport,” said Perez on his impending F1 return with Cadillac.

“I’m very lucky with the career I’ve had, but I want to finish it on a high. I believe that the last year has been difficult in my career, and I know how good I can be with the right environment around me.

“I feel like people will be surprised on how competitive, how good I will be on my comeback, and have that motivation already with me.

“So I feel like I have this final point to prove in my career, and make sure that I leave whenever I want to.”

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