Hamilton and Verstappen did briefly race each other for the lead in Sunday’s 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Dutch Grand Prix, but the seven-time world champion was effectively a sitting duck after being left to defend from Verstappen’s soft-shod168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Red Bull on medium tyres in a dramatic end to the race following a late Safeꦍty Car. 

Mercedes’ troubled 2022 campaign and Red Bull’s domination has prevented Hamilton and Verstappen from battling each other in a straight fight so far this season, after they engaged in one of the most intense F1 title scraps in history last year, which concluded in controversy in 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Abu Dhabi.

At one stage, it looked as thoug💜h Hamilton and Verstappen were set for an epic duel for the win at Zandvoort💎 until Red Bull capitalised when the race was neutralised to pit Verstappen for soft tyres, while Mercedes opted to keep Hamilton out. 

Verstappen immediately charged past♒ a frustrated Hamilton at the restart and eased to his 10th victory in 15 races to delight his home crowd and move another step closer to sealing his second world title. 

Asked about the proꦡspect of a proper wheel-to-wheel battle Verstappen before the season is out, Hamilton said: “Yeah, I mean, dying to get back in that race and have the opportunity to fight Max but the day hasn't come yet.”

Hamilton added: “It's been such a rollercoaster ride this year, you know, aཧnd this was su꧂ch a good race. 

“The car was feeling better than it felt all year long. And obviously with a difficult race last week. Yesterday, I was up until t💖he last corner where the Yellow Flag was I was 0.07 on everyone. 

“So like we had pace. The car was different to how it had been all year long. And when I got up to𝄹 second, I had that hard tyre on and I was catching them and I was thinking ‘we might be fighting for a win here. And potentially a one-two’.

“And then the Safety Cars and the ℱfrickin emotions were all over because I knew that at that point, I’d lost it. Before the reꦕstart, when everyone was on the soft tyre behind me, I knew that there was no way I was going to hold them behind me.”

Hamilton still has full faith in Mercedes 

Hamilton168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: apologised to Mercedes for his 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:foul-mouthed radio outburst, which he put down to being “on the edge of breaking point with emot☂ions”📖, while Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said he had no issue with Hamilton expressing his frustration. 

Despite questioning Mercedes’ strategy during the race, Hamilton insists he has fu൲ll trust and belief in his team. 

Asked if he feels Mercedes have the righ😼t team in place, Hamilton replied: “100 percent we do. Tಌhe team are a group of young super determined individuals. Some have been here as long as me or longer.

“They continue to be motivated every year. I 1000 percent ꦓbelieve we have the right team in place. Today wasn't an easy call.

“Of course we could always look back and all the certain scenarios and see what we could or would h♒ave made a different choice. But that's not life. You just learn from it.

“I was hopeful to get a podium. I was hopeful to get a firs𝓰t or second at least but…we move on.”