Race winner Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium. 03.09.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 15, Italian Grand Prix, Monza, Italy, Race Day.
Ex-Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle says he was left “disappointed” that Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff “played down” Max Verstappen’s recent record-breaking success.
Verstappen continued Red Bull’s unbeaten 2023 campaign with victory at Monza, also achieving his 10th consecutive win to set a new all-time Formula 1 milestone.
However, Wolff downplayed the accolade on Sunday evening, claiming it’s “irrelevant” after adding that it’s only “for Wikipedia and nobody reads that anyway.”
Meanwhile, ahead of the Italian GP weekend, Hamilton also took aim at Verstappen’s success, claiming the Dutchman has faced weaker team-mates than he has.
But Brundle has criticised the Mercedes pair’s remarks, citing that the German marque’s dominant run between 2014-20 was always given the credit it deserved.
“For Max Verstappen to win 10 consecutive races, along with Red Bull taking all 15 races so far this season, it’s truly something to behold,” Brundle wrote in his column on the Sky Sports webite.
“What an achievement to faultlessly keep up that level of performance and reliability on many different track layouts and in varying weather conditions, up against mighty opposition.
“Congratulations to each and every one of them!
“If a tennis player or football or rugby team for example was so utterly complete and dominant, they would rightly be globally lauded at the highest level, as should this pairing be,” argued Brundle.
“Sport can and should be tribal, but you must surely also appreciate a level of excellence in others.
“So I was a little surprised and disappointed that Lewis Hamilton and Toto Wolff played down this achievement over the weekend because they rightly received their due reverence and appreciation during their years of total domination from 2014 to 2020.”
Race winner Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB19 enters parc ferme. 03.09.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 15, Italian Grand Prix, Monza, Italy, Race Day.
Nevertheless, Brundle accepts that Red Bull continues to divide opinion publicly due to its actions over the past few years.
The Austrian outfit endured a tense rivalry with Mercedes in 2021, while the team was found to have breached the budget cap for that particular season late last year.
“At the same time Max and Red Bull will no doubt reflect on a few past actions and words which have diluted their current appreciation levels in some quarters,” Brundle added.
“But it’s all to be expected when you put so many intensely competitive people into the same space.”
Reflecting on his achievement on Sunday, Verstappen said: “Honestly, I’m just very proud also, you know, of the whole team effort, the whole year already.
“I mean, what we are doing at the moment, winning every race this year, is something that we definitely are enjoying, because I don’t think these kinds of seasons come around very often. And that’s the same, of course, with winning 10 in a row.”
Keyword: Brundle ‘disappointed’ Hamilton, Wolff ‘played down’ Verstappen achievement