Mark Webber believes Max Verstappen isn't yet a match for Lewis Hamilton on race day, but the former Red Bull driver says the Dutchman is on a par with the Briton in qualifying trim.
For the second year running, Verstappen trailed Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas in the world championship as Mercedes continued to impose its dominance.
After securing three wins in 2019, the Red Bull charger added two victories to his career record in F1 in 2020, capping off his season with a clean sweep in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen is generally considered as Hamilton's most threatening rival, although the Dutchman's equipment hasn't so far allowed him to consistently take the fight to Mercedes.
Webber believes Hamilton has found his match in Verstappen on Saturdays, but on race day, the seven-time world champion still holds an edge over his rival according to the Aussie.
"Max has done a very, very, very good job," Webber told Dutch website Formula1.
"He is in the final phase of fine-tuning his craftsmanship, if I may put it that way. Is he already Lewis Hamilton on Saturday, in that he is equal to Lewis in qualifying? Yes.
"Is he already Lewis on Sunday? No, he is not. But that's normal.
"You don't win five world titles in your first five years in Formula 1. Nobody has done that."
Webber alludes to experience as the current differentiating factor between Hamilton and Verstappen.
"Not many drivers get into such a situation, that you can dominate for a while and have the peace and regularity to do so without becoming complacent. That is experience. He must learn that.
"He and Charles Leclerc, by the way. They are the hot shots to come."
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