Max Verstappen took a cheap shot at Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas, labeling the Finn as "not so fast", claiming the task of scoring points is made easier when one races alongside a slower driver.
The contrast in performance and results this year between Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas left the latter lagging by a un unhealthy margin at the end of the season.
Hamilton conquered his fifth world title with eleven victories while Bottas failed to win a single time, the victim of misfortune in the early part of 2018 and then of Mercedes' necessity to impose team orders.
Verstappen offered a rather disparaging assessment of the Silver Arrows squad's driver line-up, diminishing Hamilton's merits while indirectly calling Bottas a laggard.
"Most drivers would become world champions in that car," Verstappen told AD, alluding to Hamilton's championship winning W09. "Especially if you have a teammate next to you who is not so fast.
"If your teammate always drives so far behind, it is very easy to collect points.
"Of course I had Daniel Ricciardo much closer to me. Then you really have to fight for your points."
In the young Dutchman's very simplistic view, a significant gap between two team mates offers a few big benefits.
"There at Mercedes it was a completely different story. Hamilton, of course, fought against Ferrari, always had to stay sharp," he added.
"But sometimes I sometimes think: the lesser your teammate is, the more relaxed you can drive yourself.
"And then you also know that the team is fully geared towards you. That only makes you faster."
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