Max Verstappen has dismissed the controversy surrounding Isack Hadjar’s comments about Ferrari’s competitiveness, criticising the debate that erupted in the United States Grand Prix paddock.
Hadjar suggested that Verstappen would have won the Singapore Grand Prix by an even greater margin had he been driving a Ferrari, prompting a strong response from Charles Leclerc and a more measured disagreement from Lewis Hamilton.
However, Verstappen has refused to engage in the comparison, describing the discussion as pointless and accusing journalists of unnecessarily creating tension between drivers.
Hadjar’s Ferrari Claims Spark Disagreement
The competitive order between Red Bull and Ferrari remains a talking point in Austin following Verstappen’s consecutive Grand Prix victories in Malaysia and Singapore.
Despite those results, Hadjar raised eyebrows by suggesting that the RB22 was not necessarily the strongest car on the grid.
The French driver believed Ferrari held an advantage in Singapore and that Verstappen’s driving had ultimately made the difference.
“I think if you put Max in the Ferrari, he would have won the race by an even bigger margin,” Hadjar said on Thursday, referring to the Singapore Grand Prix.
His hypothetical comparison did not sit well with Ferrari’s drivers, who challenged his assessment.
Charles Leclerc was particularly firm when asked about the Red Bull driver’s remarks, arguing that accurately comparing two cars was impossible without access to the necessary information.
“It’s completely absurd to say something like that. He knows as little about the Ferrari’s actual performance as I do about his car.”
Hamilton adopted a more restrained approach but also rejected the suggestion that Ferrari had possessed the strongest car in Singapore.
The seven-time world champion instead highlighted Red Bull’s substantial progress, particularly with its power unit.
According to Hamilton, Red Bull has also eliminated its previous deficit through the corners, an area where Ferrari had previously enjoyed an advantage.
“They’ve now caught up with us in the corners, and they’re three or four tenths quicker on the straights.”
Verstappen Responds With Sarcasm
When asked about his teammate’s comments and the reaction they had provoked at Ferrari, Verstappen made little attempt to conceal his irritation.
The four-time world champion appeared frustrated that a personal opinion expressed by Hadjar had developed into a controversy involving both teams.
“What a fascinating discussion!” Verstappen replied sarcastically.
He then dismissed the significance of Hadjar’s assessment.
“He’s worrying about something that doesn’t matter.”
For Verstappen, attempting to establish what he might have achieved behind the wheel of a Ferrari in Singapore serves little purpose.
The Dutchman believes such hypothetical comparisons lack the evidence required to reach a meaningful conclusion.
Verstappen Criticises Media for Fuelling Tensions
Verstappen’s frustration extended beyond the discussion about Ferrari’s performance.
He also criticised the way drivers’ comments are circulated throughout the paddock, particularly when journalists approach rivals or other teams seeking reactions to statements made elsewhere.
Addressing the reporter directly, Verstappen questioned the need to repeatedly present one driver’s opinions to another.
“You shouldn’t always go and report that to another driver or another team. You’re constantly trying to create stories between people when you could simply leave it at that.”
The Red Bull driver maintained that there was no reliable way to determine whether he could have won by a larger margin in Ferrari’s SF-26.
Having never driven the Italian team’s car, Verstappen insisted that he lacked the direct experience necessary to assess its performance accurately against his own RB22.
“It’s impossible for me to say how competitive the Ferrari is because I haven’t driven that car. That’s why these discussions are completely absurd.”
Verstappen therefore refused to support the hypothetical comparison, maintaining that neither his recent victories nor Hadjar’s assessment could establish how he would have performed in a different car.
