Crimson Bull has gained each race in 2023, with Verstappen at present on a file run of 10 consecutive grand prix victories after his Monza triumph two weeks in the past.
Hamilton praised Verstappen and Crimson Bull’s chief technical officer Adrian Newey for the “distinctive job” that they’ve achieved this yr.
The ultimate eight races of the season embrace two avenue circuits, three dash weekends and a number of other venues the place rain is a powerful chance, all issues that current challenges that might doubtlessly contribute to ending Verstappen’s run.
Nevertheless, Hamilton prefers to give attention to getting Mercedes again to a place the place it could possibly win on advantage.
“I do not like to take a look at that type of factor,” when requested by Autosport about the potential for Verstappen being tripped up forward of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.
“I used to be simply requested a query earlier: would you quite take Max out of the equation or take Adrian Newey out the equation? One thing like that.
“And I used to be like, ‘neither’, I feel we simply must stage up and do a greater job. They’ve achieved an distinctive job, and you may’t fault them for the wonderful work that they collectively are doing and have achieved.
“I simply wish to stage up all of us. However there’s numerous alternative for positive in these subsequent eight races. So simply attempting to ensure that we’re ready to be there if one thing does occur to be coming our manner. However we stay longing for that.”
Adrian Newey, Chief Know-how Officer, Crimson Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing, 1st place, and Sir Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG, third place, on the rostrum
Picture by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Hamilton, a four-time winner of the Singapore GP, was non-committal concerning the potential of the W14 round Marina Bay.
“I do not know, I feel we had been comparatively aggressive final yr, however we had not such a fantastic race,” he stated. “However given the automotive we had final yr, I am hoping the automotive has progressed rather a lot since final yr.
“So hopefully, we’re perhaps just a little bit nearer that to the entrance. I am hoping we are able to struggle for a podium. I will discover out tomorrow with everyone, however that is the fact.”
Requested concerning the influence of the alternative of 4 corners by a brand new part of straight he stated: “It will make the lap simpler, that is for positive. It provides much less corners for Crimson Bull to be additional forward!
“It is a quick straight. So I do not assume anybody could have a bonus significantly on it. Aside from the Ferraris is likely to be fast on the straight perhaps, or the Crimson Bulls perhaps?
“However I feel it is such a brief straight, I do not assume it will be an enormous difficulty. And I imply, there’s usually nowhere that our automotive is favoured!
“And this isn’t a specific observe that is been a powerful place for us prior to now. However [compared with] final yr, as I stated, with one of these automotive, we are usually just a little bit faster than we thought we had been going to be. So perhaps that I hope that is the case this weekend.”