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Damon Hill has used Max Verstappen's 2023 dominance to question whether overwhelming superiority serves Formula 1 well. The 1996 world champion told the Stay on Track podcast that a driver's true quality only reveals itself when faced with genuine opposition, pointing to Verstappen's current midfield struggle as the kind of challenge that defines greatness.
Hill was responding to a question about the relative influence of driver versus machinery. He cited Verstappen's 19-win campaign two years ago, a season that broke multiple records including Sebastian Vettel's mark for consecutive victories, as an example of dominance that pleased one fanbase but risked alienating the sport's broader audience.
"Take Verstappen as an example. Say you have by far the best car and win almost every race, like in 2023. Of course the Red Bull fans enjoyed it, but for the sport as a whole you ultimately want to see a fight," Hill said. "That's when it gets really interesting."
Verstappen's midfield reality in 2026
Hill acknowledged he himself benefited from dominant machinery during his Williams years, but suggested even Verstappen would prefer stronger resistance. The Briton specifically mentioned wheel-to-wheel combat with Kimi Antonelli as the kind of scenario that would demonstrate Verstappen's full capabilities.
"I think Max enjoys it when he's really challenged. When he has to fight wheel-to-wheel with someone like Antonelli, only then do we really see how good he is. Those are the moments fans love," Hill added.
The comment carries particular weight given the current championship landscape. Mercedes has won six of the opening seven races in 2026, with Antonelli and George Russell sharing the spoils while Lewis Hamilton closes ground in the title fight. Verstappen, meanwhile, sits seventh in the standings after a difficult start to the season, still waiting for Red Bull to deliver a car capable of fighting for victories on a consistent basis.
From record-breaking dominance to midfield struggle
The contrast between Verstappen's 2023 form and his current predicament is stark. That year he won ten consecutive races, obliterating Vettel's previous benchmark and claiming 19 victories from 22 starts. Red Bull's RB19 was widely regarded as one of the most dominant machines in Formula 1 history, allowing Verstappen to build insurmountable leads and manage races from the front.
Hill's broader point about the tension between driver excellence and competitive balance remains unresolved in Formula 1's regulatory evolution. Dominance cycles have defined the sport for decades, from McLaren-Honda through Ferrari's early 2000s reign to Mercedes' hybrid era supremacy. Verstappen and Red Bull simply continued that pattern. Whether the current Mercedes advantage proves equally durable, or whether Red Bull can recover mid-season, will determine if 2026 offers the kind of sustained battle Hill believes reveals true greatness.
For now, Verstappen faces exactly the test Hill described: proving his class without the cushion of superior machinery. Whether that satisfies those who questioned his dominance, or merely shifts the debate to Mercedes' current advantage, depends on how the season unfolds from here
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