Lewis Hamilton fires Max Verstappen warning at Brazil GP as Mercedes plan clear

02 November 2023 , 18:47

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Lewis Hamilton spoke to the media ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix (Image: Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton declared he doesn't plan to leave Sao Paulo empty-handed as he warned Max Verstappen he will "take the fight" to Red Bull.

The seven-time world champion has won three times at Interlagos in his Formula 1 career. And his connection with racing in this part of the world only grew stronger last year when Hamilton was officially made an honorary Brazilian citizen.

With no drivers representing Brazil at the event this year, Hamilton will be the 'home' favourite among many of those in the grandstands. But he will do well to end a win drought stretching back almost two years.

Sunday's race marks 700 days since his most recent F1 victory. He came close last year when George Russell beat him to the chequered flag to mark Mercedes' only win of 2022, and finished second last week in Mexico.

Hamilton also crossed the line second in the US GP a week earlier and was only a couple of second adrift of Verstappen. He was later disqualified, but it nevertheless gave him hope that he and his Mercedes team can be a threat if they get things right.

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"I anticipate Red Bull will blitz it because their car is great," he told reporters in Sao Paulo. "But if that is not the case, I will be ready to take the fight to them.

"If it can be anything like Austin and we can get our strategy better, than that would be incredible. I came away empty handed last season – I don't plan on that this year."

Mercedes have a narrows 22-point lead over Ferrari in the race to finish second in the constructors' standings. And Hamilton still has a lot to play for in the drivers' championship too, given he is now just 20 points adrift of the struggling Sergio Perez in the fight to finish as runner-up to runaway champion Verstappen.

The Silver Arrows have made performance gains which have brought them closer to Red Bull, raising hopes of a closer fight in 2024. But Hamilton remains cautious: "After the last couple of races I have been getting messages from people saying, 'It is looking good.'

"But I said to them, 'Well, it was looking good at the end of last year, too, but we started this season 1.5 seconds behind'. I am not dazzled by where we are currently. But I am thinking long-term at the moment, and in the short term, trying to solidify second in the constructors."

Daniel Moxon