"Red Bull is a winner at the moment” - Max Verstappen “not bored” of decimating his F1 rivals, insists 2x champion Mika Hakkinen

Former two-time F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen believes that Max Verstappen is "not bored" of his current dominance in F1, and is raising his personal limits with each race.

The Dutch racing sensation has been an unstoppable force, steamrolling his opponents and gliding past tracks, well on course towards his third straight world title.

Verstappen has a staggering 125-point lead over his closest rival and teammate Sergio Perez at the halfway point of the season. He has won 10 out of the 12 races that have taken place and never missed out on a podium finish.

With the Red Bull RB19 car having won every race of the season so far, there have been outcries from fans and pundits alike, with many claiming the season to be monotonous. However, two-time world champion Hakkinen believes Verstappen's dominance is nothing but "motor racing."

Mika Hakkinen himself knows a thing or two about ruling over the world of F1. Drawing from his own experiences of winning the championship in 1998, Hakkinen recalled that he never found the year to be boring. Instead, he saw it as a fantastic and exhilarating time.

The Finnish racing legend believes Max Verstappen shares the same sentiment, fully enjoying the thrill of pushing himself to new heights in each race.

"When I was racing in Formula 1, when I was winning, and dominating in 1998 with my teammate, David Coulthard, I felt that the year was fantastic. It was not boring, and I'm sure Max is experiencing the same thing. He is not bored, he doesn't think the races are boring," Hakkinen told RacingNews365.

Addressing the criticism of the perceived monotony, Mika Hakkinen defended Verstappen's perspective. He acknowledged that while some fans might perceive it as uninteresting due to the one-sided dominance, Max Verstappen's supporters are relishing every moment of his triumphs. To them, it is the epitome of excitement and the best possible outcome. He stated:

"All the time he is raising his personal limits and his performance, which is great, but of course, when fans who are not fans of Max are looking, they think it is boring, but the fans of Max think it is the best thing."

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Max Verstappen's reign will not be ever-lasting, believes Mika Hakkinen

The former world-champion, despite singing praises for Max Verstappen and his current form in F1, asserted that the cyclic nature of F1, according to which Red Bull's dominance will not last indefinitely.

The sport has seen teams rise to greatness only to be dethroned by others in subsequent seasons. While Red Bull and Max Verstappen are basking in their current success and deserve the accolades, Hakkinen believes that change is inevitable.

However, he refrained from speculating when that change might occur, leaving it to the future to reveal the next chapter in F1's story.

"Is it going to last forever? No, because that's how history repeats itself. There will be changes coming. When? I don't know," said Mika Hakkinen.

However, the Finnish racing legend also praised the hard work and efforts of the Red Bull team that have culminated in their exceptional success.

"I can only say that the work they do and the success they get, they deserve that. Let them enjoy it," Hakkinen stated.

As the 2023 season progresses, fans and pundits eagerly await any sign of weakness that could challenge Max Verstappen's reign.