Max Verstappen has rejected Lewis Hamilton’s idea that Formula 1 should introduce a development deadline to stop teams from shifting focus to next year’s car early.
Speaking to the media on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix, Hamilton felt that Red Bull’s domination was likely to continue as it could afford to start developing its 2024 car due to its performance advantage.
Hamilton suggested that implementing a deadline that would be the earliest point a team could divert its attention to designing its car for the following season.
“It’s not aimed at any one particular person or anything,” Hamilton said, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
“It’s just obviously in my 17 years of being here, even before I got here, you see a period of time of dominance. And it continues to happen.
“I was really fortunate to have one of those periods that Max is having now. But with the way it’s going, it will continue to happen over and over again. And I don’t think that we need that in sport.”
When Hamilton’s comments were put to Verstappen, the reigning world champion was quick to dismiss the idea, insisting the topic was never raised during Hamilton and Mercedes’ dominant period.
“We weren’t talking about this when he was winning and I don’t think we should now,” Verstappen told Sky Sports F1.
“This is just how Formula 1 works. When you have a competitive car, that’s great, but at one point you have to look ahead to the next year, of course.
“It’s normal people behind us say these kinds of things, but they should not forget how it was when they were winning themselves.”
Mercedes made the executive decision to redesign the W14 earlier in the season and while it has led to an upswing in performance, it means the Brackley-based team has spent a large amount of its cost cap allowance.
When asked if F1’s budget cap was working at it intended as Mercedes would now have to be mindful of further car development, Verstappen said: “But only the top teams have the money to develop everything at full speed, of course.
“Smaller teams can’t, so then it’s unfair again in that sense. You get a bit of the same story you had a few years ago.
“I don’t know how [Mercedes] allocate their resources exactly, of course.
“Maybe they give up something else or save some money in other areas. I don’t know, but I am not concerned with that at all.”
