Hamilton says Red Bull has proved him wrong

Lewis Hamilton says Red Bull has overturned a belief he held as a younger driver: that the team could never match McLaren or Ferrari. At an Austin press conference, he said Red Bull's success over the years had proved him wrong and that the team continued to surprise him.

His remarks came in response to Isack Hadjar's claim that Ferrari had the faster car in Singapore. Hamilton called Hadjar a great driver but said they would disagree. In Hamilton's assessment, Red Bull matched Ferrari through the corners and was three to four tenths faster on the straights.

Hamilton also revisited his assumptions about engine-building. He said he had once thought no one could build a better engine than Mercedes or Ferrari, given their resources, experience and intellectual property. Red Bull had overturned that expectation, he said, and he called its power unit the strongest in 2026.

He also praised Red Bull's drivers and leadership, saying the team would be very difficult to beat.