Hamilton didn’t learn much about Verstappen - Doornbos
"It’s also a bit of a mind trick, like ’I’ve got you now’"
Robert Doornbos doubts Lewis Hamilton learned much about his 2021 title rival simply by driving behind Max Verstappen in Barcelona.
Before winning the race, Hamilton spent considerable time behind the Red Bull last Sunday and said afterwards: "I learned a lot about Max today - perhaps more than all the other races put together.
"Obviously I was following relatively closely and I learned a lot about his car and how he uses it. So it was a good race in that respect," said the Mercedes driver.
Doornbos, a former Red Bull driver, said he found Hamilton’s comments "crazy".
"He would be able to see the lines he takes, that he uses more kerbs. You might be able to see how Max gets on the gas and that he has good traction," he told Ziggo Sport.
"But you can’t really learn much else from it," the Dutchman insisted.
"It’s also a bit of a mind trick, like ’I’ve got you now’," Doornbos insisted.
Red Bull
Three-team battle shaping up for Monaco GP victory
Verstappen’s state-of-the-art F1 motorhome sim setup
Manager says Newey has not signed Ferrari deal
Wolff: Horner needs to work on mathematics
More on Red Bull
Mercedes F1
F1 ’silly season’ in full swing between Imola and Monaco
Wolff admits ’human factor’ hurting Mercedes
Son thinks Lauda would have ended Mercedes slump
F1 driver silly-season now a ’waiting game’
FIA should not block Antonelli’s F1 debut - Verstappen
More on Mercedes F1