Lewis Hamilton has praised Max Verstappen for doing “an exceptional job” as the Red Bull driver stands on the brink of a third consecutive title.
Verstappen will win the Formula 1 drivers’ championship in Saturday’s sprint race in Qatar as long as team-mate Sergio Perez does not score at least six more points than him.
Hamilton said: “Max has been faultless and no-one can take that away from him.
“He has done an amazing job with the package he has.”
Ahead of Verstappen’s expected coronation this weekend, Hamilton added: “He and the team have been phenomenal. They’ve raised the bar.”
The winner of the sprint – a shorter race than a grand prix of about half an hour – earns eight points, with a sliding scale down to one point for eighth.
Verstappen will be champion once again if he finishes at least sixth in the sprint, no matter what Perez does.
There is no avoiding that fact for Verstappen, but he is focused simply on winning this weekend.
The Dutchman, who has won 13 of the 16 races held so far this season, said: “We are having an amazing year and we just come into this weekend and want to win again.
“And of course I know if I win or whatever on Saturday I win the championship, but we are just very focused on the main job.”
Verstappen said he had no feelings either way as to whether winning it in a sprint race would be an anti-climax.
“If it’s Saturday or Sunday, I don’t think it matters a lot,” Verstappen said. “It’s always nice to win it at the first possible opportunity.
“To win three championships in a row is never easy. You need a very good car, but I always try to be consistent and not to have too many mistakes.
“The car is in a really great window, except Singapore [last month], but all the other races it was really nice to drive. But it is still easy when driving on the limit to make mistakes and that is what I try to eliminate.”
Verstappen was also lauded by a series of his rivals.
Perez, who has won just two races, said: “Max has done a tremendous job. He has driven on another level compared to anyone else.”
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso added: “An incredible season, breaking so many records, and when you win so many races – and they were not easy races, sometimes they were tricky with weather conditions we went through, June, July all the races were hit by rain – and when you make no mistakes and deliver the job every weekend, it is big respect.”
McLaren’s Lando Norris said: “He delivers on every area and that is not something every driver is able to do.
“For him to performance at 100%, 100% of the time is the difficult thing. He has said he is not the biggest fan of street circuits; that’s generally where Sergio has been closer to him. But you would say he doesn’t have any weaknesses. He has done an amazing job. He deserves it and so do Red Bull.”
Hamilton to wear rainbow helmet
Lewis Hamilton will race in Qatar wearing a helmet painted with the rainbow flag in support of LGBTQ+ rights, which are restricted in the Gulf state.
Displays of the rainbow flag were a contentious point early on during the Fifa World Cup in Qatar last year.
F1’s position is that it hopes by racing in countries with human rights records that have been criticised it will raise awareness and lead to long-term change.
Hamilton, who also wore the helmet the last time F1 raced in Qatar in 2021, said: “It’s always good and well raising awareness for things, but it is more about the work that is done in the background and the conversations you continue to have to have.
“And it’s such a big machine to shift. It is a whole country that is very young. It has taken the West a long, long time to get to where they are.
“All we can do is try to be positive when we come to these places and take the opportunity – that’s why I continue to wear the flag here.
“In 2021 it was nerve-wracking because I didn’t know how the country would react. But it was amazing when I do meet people who are incredibly grateful for utilising the platform for something like that so they feel included.
“As a sport we have to continue to work on our inclusivity. Diversity continues to be an issue.”
Verstappen and Hamilton back Andretti bid
The race is taking place a matter of days after motorsport’s governing body the FIA gave its approval to the US-based Andretti team’s bid to enter F1.
Andretti’s bid, which is in tandem with General Motors’ Cadillac brand, will now be scrutinised by commercial rights holders F1, which has so far been lukewarm on the idea of a new team.
The 10 existing teams are generally opposed to a new entrant.
But Hamilton said he thought Andretti’s entry would be “great”.
The seven-time champion said: “I have always felt there wasn’t enough cars on the grid and, while there will definitely be people who aren’t happy I am so supportive of it, I think it’s great.
“It’s an opportunity for more jobs, another two seats available for a potential female driver to come through, it opens up more possibilities and I think it would be more exciting for the race.”
Verstappen also backed the idea.
“Everything I have seen so far, plus the partners they have and the name, they have shown they are a professional team,” Verstappen said. “So it would be good because it gives more opportunities for the drivers’ side.
“But I can understand why [on] the teams’ side, they don’t want it. So it’s a tricky one. And the F1 and FIA have more info on how well things are presented.”