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Sir Lewis Hamilton says Max Verstappen and Red Bull have \u2018raised the bar\u2019, in rare praise for his Formula One rival.<\/p>\n
Verstappen has the chance to win his third consecutive drivers\u2019 championship this weekend in Qatar, and will very likely do so in Saturday\u2019s sprint race.<\/p>\n
Red Bull\u2019s RB19 has been near-unstoppable in 2023, winning 15 of the 16 races so far, with the Dutchman claiming 13 of those victories.<\/p>\n
For many, winning a third title solidifies one\u2019s place as a legend of the sport, and while Hamilton doesn\u2019t want to directly compare Verstappen to past champions, he was nonetheless full of praise for the 26-year-old.<\/p>\n
\u2018I wouldn\u2019t rank him. I think ranking people is an opinion-based thing,\u2019 the Mercedes driver told Sky Sports on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\u2018I think he\u2019s earned his position, he\u2019s done an amazing job with the package that he has. Him and the team have been phenomenal this year, faultless, and I think they\u2019ve raised the bar.<\/p>\n
\u2018As a team we have to look at that, and say, \u201cok, these are the areas that we need to develop to be able to match that and compete\u201d.<\/p>\n
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\u2018I 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\u2019ve worked for it.\u2019<\/p>\n
Hamilton has rarely publicly praised his rival so much, especially since the pair came to blows several times while fighting for the 2021 title and the controversial way in which Verstappen pipped the seven-time champion to the crown.<\/p>\n
The Brit won his third title back in 2015, moving him level with F1 legends like Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda and Hamilton\u2019s personal hero Ayrton Senna.<\/p>\n
\u2018For me, I didn\u2019t think about the other champions. I just thought about Ayrton,\u2019 Hamilton added as he reflected on his third title triumph.<\/p>\n
\u2018As a kid, the dream was to get to Formula 1 and hopefully do something like Ayrton [did]. And then I got a world championship, then eventually when I got three it was very surreal to think I had equalled him.<\/p>\n
\u2018To get as many wins and as many pole positions as him, that was what blew my mind for me. But then of course it does put you on the list of all the greats which is a very honorary list.\u2019<\/p>\n