Ex-Formula 1 driver Gerhard Berger believes that both Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen could have won the world championship driving a Mercedes in 2020.
Lewis Hamilton dominated the standings for the Silver Arrows last season, winning 11 of the 16 Grands Prix that he started and securing the title with three races to spare.
Leclerc and Verstappen also had impressive campaigns, albeit in slightly less competitive machinery, with the Dutchman winning two races and finishing third in the drivers’ championship.
The Monegasque driver had a more difficult time of things due to Ferrari’s issue, finishing on the podium just twice, but he managed to end the year eighth in the standings.
“Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen would have become world champions with the Mercedes of last season,” Berger said, as reported by MotoriOnline. “I see their rivalry as that of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
“Charles is a calmer person inside the car, driving feeling less emotion. Verstappen, on the other hand, is very aggressive, a bit like Ayrton. I can’t tell you who would win between the two.”
“Leclerc and Verstappen are two excellent drivers, but Hamilton remains the most complete and competitive within the starting grid,” he said.
“He always knows how to perfectly read the situation and makes the most of his car every race lap. He is able to exploit the tires optimally, bringing them back to temperatures in a short time after a safety car regime. I saw this quality only in Senna and Schumacher. The two of them, plus Lewis, are the strongest drivers who have ever driven in Formula 1.″