"I have no doubt who would come out on top" - Christian Horner on Lewis Hamilton vs. Max Verstappen in same F1 car

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen title battle in 2021 was one for the ages and it went down to the wire. Despite being in different cars, both drivers had very little to separate themselves from one another in 2021.

However, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has 'no doubt' who would win between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen in equal machinery.

While speaking to the The Times in UK during an interview, Horner said there is no denying Lewis Hamilton's achievements and subsequent greatness in F1. He even called the Briton 'statistically the most successful in history'. But his allegiance seems to be clearly aligned with his man, Max Verstappen. Horner said:

"But you put Max (Verstappen) and Lewis (Hamilton) in that [Mercedes] car, and I have no doubt who would come out on top. Put Lewis in our car, and I also have no doubt who would come out on top."

Horner then went on to add:

"With Max anything is possible. We didn't expect to be competitive in Jeddah (at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix). That's mainly down to Max."

Max Verstappen had 10 wins to Lewis Hamilton's nine in 2021. The Dutchman also picked up 18 podiums and set a new single-season record in the process. Lewis Hamilton had one fewer with 17.

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Max Verstappen would struggle in Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes W12, says Sergio Perez

Max Verstappen would have struggled in Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes W12 from the 2021 season, according to Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.

The Mexican driver joined Red Bull for the 2021 season. He played a vital role in helping Max Verstappen secure his maiden drivers' world championship at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Perez took time to adapt to Red Bull's high-rake chassis after joining the team from racing Point (now Aston Martin). He feels Max Verstappen would have had to go through a similar baptism if the Dutchman had been put in Lewis Hamilton's car.

Speaking during an interview, Perez was quoted by GPFans saying:

“The way you approach things are just extremely different and you have to learn new techniques. Basically, what I used to do, nothing really worked here [with Red Bull]. It would be the same, for example, if Max (Verstappen) went to Mercedes. They [the cars] are just very different. They produce very similar lap times, but the way they get the lap time is extremely different.”

While it is fair to assume a learning curve will be involved for any driver, Max Verstappen has shown that he is quick to catch on in the past. Regardless, one won't know for sure until and unless he gets into the cockpit of a car other than his own Red Bull.