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Max Verstappen has said he has no time for a 'nonsense' debate surrounding Red Bull and Ferrari, despite the fact that it was started by his team-mate Isack Hadjar.
Verstappen heads into the United States Grand Prix this weekend in top form, taking back-to-back victories at the Singapore and Bahrain Grands Prix earlier this month.
Despite that though, Hadjar has claimed that Red Bull still does not have the quickest car in the sport, and stated that last time out in Singapore, it was Ferrari who were fastest.
“I think the car is still very hard to drive. In Malaysia it was dominant, but I don’t think in Singapore it was the fastest car," Hadjar told the media this week. "That’s what I believe. I think if you put Max in the Ferrari, he would’ve won the race with more margin – that’s my opinion. In Singapore, I think [Ferrari] was the fastest car."
Verstappen was asked about his team-mates comments in Austin when he addressed the media ahead of this weekend's action, but the Red Bull star isn't getting drawn in.
Verstappen claims that it's all 'nonsense', but did defend Hadjar's right to have his opinion.
"I mean, we're stressing about something that doesn't matter, right? Yeah, he said it, but okay, let him say that, right?" Verstappen said.
"I mean, you shouldn't always need to put it forward to the other driver or the other team as you do constantly, trying to agitate people with it instead of just letting it be.
"That's what I normally do; I'm like: 'Whatever, life goes on, and tomorrow is another day.' It was a good qualifying lap. I'm not going to say that it is anything special because it can always be better, but I felt good.
"I felt good with my car, and it is impossible for me to know or say how good a Ferrari is because I've not driven that car. And that is why these debates are just nonsense."
Ferrari stars Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have also had their say on Hadjar's comments.
Leclerc appeared to agree with Verstappen, stating: “Well, first of all, I think it’s nonsense to start saying these kind of things. I mean, Isack has no idea what kind of car we drive, and I have no idea what kind of car he drives."
Hamilton took a more measured approach, but made it clear he disagrees with the Frenchman.
“They [Red Bull] were just as quick through all the corners as us in the last race, and you know that’s been our strength," Hamilton explained. "So, they’ve matched us now through the corners, and they’re three, four tenths quicker down the straights.
“We have a very small upgrade this weekend. It’s less than a tenth, it’s like half a tenth, so I don’t think that propels us forwards to be able to necessarily challenge that deficit.”
Regardless of who was fastest in Singapore, the cars look close again in Austin this weekend, with Leclerc and Verstappen one-two and one-three in FP1 and FP2 on Friday afternoon.
It will certainly be exciting to see who comes out on top in qualifying on Saturday.