“0.9. Geesh”: Lewis Hamilton stunned by Max Verstappen’s supreme advantage over the 7x Mercedes champion

Max Verstappen once again showcased his unparalleled prowess, leaving Lewis Hamilton astonished at the significant gap between them in a rain-soaked qualifying session. The 2023 F1 Belgian GP qualifying session saw Verstappen secure pole position. However, a pre-race penalty relegated him to the sixth spot on the grid for the main race.

Verstappen's form in the 2023 season has been nothing short of extraordinary. His performance during the Belgian GP qualifying further cemented his status as the indestructible force in F1. Recording a blistering lap time of 1:46.168s, he outpaced fourth-placed Hamilton by a staggering 0.9 seconds.

As the chequered flag waved, a disbelieving Hamilton radioed his race engineer, Bono, seeking confirmation of the gap to Verstappen. The exchange between the seven-time Mercedes champion and his team was emblematic of the jaw-dropping dominance displayed by the Red Bull driver.

Lewis Hamilton: “How far off at the top?”

Bono: “It’s 0.9 to Verstappen.”

Lewis Hamilton: “.9 geesh… Where’s all that time?”

Bono: “It’s all that middle sector practically.”

Hamilton's astonishment was palpable, and his reaction mirrored the sentiments of the entire F1 fraternity witnessing Verstappen's exceptional form. The middle sector, notorious for its high-speed corners, seemed to be where the Dutchman managed to extract an otherworldly advantage over his competitors.

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Lewis Hamilton to start from P3 on Sunday, hoping to capitalize this time

Max Verstappen received a pre-race penalty for using too many gearbox parts. Hence, despite his qualifying brilliance, he is relegated to a sixth-place starting position on the grid for the main race.

This circumstance presents an opportunity for his rivals to capitalize and attempt to close the points gap in the championship standings.

Accordingly, Charles Leclerc and Sergio Perez will start the Belgian GP from the front row, followed by Lewis Hamilton. After securing the pole position in the Hungarian GP the previous week, Sunday's race at Spa-Francorchamps comes with another opportunity for the seven-time world champion to finish strongly.

However, considering Max Verstappen's recent performances, the task ahead for Hamilton and other drivers is nothing short of herculean. The Dutch sensation's ability to wring every ounce of performance from his Red Bull machine has been a defining characteristic of his 2023 campaign. His race performances have left his competitors scratching their heads in bewilderment.

After failing to capitalize on his pole at the Hungarian GP, it remains to be seen if Lewis Hamilton will be able to produce an unexpected result on Sunday. For now, all eyes are on Saturday as we approach the third Sprint race of the season.