Verstappen: Many drivers don’t have chance to fight at the front

Hamilton with 277 Grand Prix starts is hunting his 100th F1 victory this weekend and of course, extending his championship lead in Sunday's race in Belgium and hunting his fifth victory at Spa-Francorchamps.

Verstappen, with 130 starts and 15 victories in the top flight, is hunting his first title. As hostilities resume in a contest of narrow margins the Red Bull driver was asked, on Thursday, if he felt Hamilton's experience could be a decisive factor in the remaining dozen races.

Max replied: “Personally, I don’t think so. The only advantage you can really have is just if you have a faster car. In this sport, it’s so dominant when you have a good car. There are so many drivers in the sport that don’t have a chance to fight at the front.

“If you have seven titles or one or zero, at the end of the day when you have spent a few years in F1 especially more towards the front, like top-five, you know that you have to try and finish every race, you know you have to try and score the most available points every weekend and I think all of us, we always try to do our best and race in the best possible way.

"I don’t really see the advantage there,” added the Dutch ace.

Verstappen saw a healthy championship points lead scythed down in the last two races before the summer break, which has turned him from the hunted to the hunter once again.

As for his prospects at Spa and what he expected from Mercedes, Verstappen said: “For sure they will be quick here. Traditionally this track hasn’t been the best for us, because of the long straights.

I know that we definitely did close the gap a bit in terms of top speed, but we are still not there. But I do think compared to last year for sure our car is a lot better, our top speed is better. But how good it is going to be against them?

"It is difficult to say. Anyway, the weather doesn’t look great for the whole weekend; it’s going to be a bit rainy. I think rainy, then a bit dry. So, we have to wait and see how we are going to perform. We’re very positive. We had a lot of good races – just the last two didn’t go our way, out of our control.

"Yes, I’m very positive, the team is looking forward to getting started again and there is still of course a lot of races to be held. So, let’s see how it goes," added Verstappen who last year finished third at Spa. (Additional reporting by Agnes Carlier)