Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton has praised his former rival Max Verstappen for his dominant championship-winning efficiency this yr.

Verstappen secured his second title final month with victory on the Japanese Grand Prix and has gained 14 of the 20 races to this point this yr, breaking the file for essentially the most wins in a single season beforehand held by Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel.

Hamilton, who fought Verstappen for final yr’s title up till the ultimate lap of the ultimate race in Abu Dhabi, has not been in rivalry for this yr’s championship after Mercedes made a stuttering begin underneath F1’s new technical laws.

Nevertheless, when requested about his ideas on Verstappen’s file season in 2022, Hamilton solely had good issues to say about his fierce rival from final yr.

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“I am unable to say that I’ve had time to love examine each facet of what Max has performed this yr, however I feel he is performed an incredible job,” Hamilton stated. “He is performed every part he needed to do. The crew supplied him with an incredible automotive, and he is delivered just about each weekend.

“He might be pleased with the job he has performed. I understand how it feels to be ready like that, I imply he is received an opportunity to win extra races, the subsequent two races, so he may take that file that he is now taken even additional if we will not cease him or Ferrari cannot cease him.

“However yeah, not likely much more to say. He is performed an amazing job.”

Hamilton has but to safe a victory this season, which means 2022 may very well be the primary yr since his debut in 2007 by which he did not win a race. Though his finest likelihood possible handed on the Mexican Grand Prix two weeks in the past, Hamilton isn’t ruling out a win at this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, particularly if the forecast of rain holds true.

“I feel us as a crew is concentrated on ensuring that we’ve got a automotive that we are able to compete with subsequent yr,” he stated. “We do not know, truthfully each time that we arrive at a monitor, we’re shocked a technique or one other how massive the hole is or how shut we’re. So I will not know till tomorrow [after qualifying] the place that’s.

“I do not know if the automotive will likely be spectacular right here. I do not know if we’ll be as shut as we had been on the final race, I do not suppose we’ll. However I hope I am shocked and it isn’t the case.

“We all know the place our automotive goes to work and what corners it will not work. I anticipate it isn’t going to be the simplest on-track. However there’s climate, there’s all kinds that might come into it.

“So out of the subsequent two races, that is the most suitable choice we’ll have or the closest we’ll be. The following one I feel with these lengthy straights will likely be robust.”