Horner eager to see Hamilton take on F1's latest talent "wave"
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner says it will be fascinating to see how long Lewis Hamilton can hold out against the "wave" of emerging young talent spearheaded by Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

While the two 22-year-olds were powerless to stop Hamilton from securing his sixth F1 drivers' title last year, they both impressed and earned new long-term deals with their respective teams.
Leclerc has committed to Ferrari through 2024, while Verstappen is due to remain at Red Bull until the end of 2023.
Though Hamilton's Mercedes team has dominated F1's hybrid era, Horner is convinced F1 is due for a "classic" between its three biggest teams this year due to regulation continuity, before things are shaken up by the 2021 rule revamp.
And with Leclerc and Verstappen representing a potential of the guard, Horner expects the intra-generational battle to be a major attraction in the next few years.
"Every now and again, you get a wave coming along and I think we've got that at the moment," Horner said.
"So I think especially exciting is the Max/Leclerc dynamic, how that's going to play out over future years, how Lewis can still go toe to toe with those guys.
"Because there's life in him yet as well and I think he's keen to gauge himself against the young wave that’s coming through.
"I think for Formula 1 it's fantastic to have the dynamics of the young guys, the challengers, coming through and some of the older guys that are the old dogs that know all the tricks."
Read Also:
The 35-year-old Hamilton, out of contract at the end of 2020, is widely expected to commit to a new Mercedes deal - especially following the news of Verstappen's and Leclerc's long-term agreements.
Hamilton has repeatedly made it clear in 2019 that he does not see himself hanging up his helmet any time soon.
"The core of what I do is that I love racing, I love the challenge," Hamilton said.
"I love arriving knowing I have got these incredibly talented youngsters who are trying to beat me and outperform me, outsmart me, and I love that battle that I get into that every single year. And I am working with these guys who are so much smarter than me and they make me feel smarter, [and] when I am challenging them and proving them wrong so many times, it is unreal!
"I don’t fear [the day I retire]. It is going to be a sad day, to hang up and stop doing something you’ve loved your whole life and as long as you can remember. But that is why I have all these other things in place that I can fall back on.
"The fashion side, for example, I’ve found another business that I can do for a long time if successful. Currently that is going really, really well but I don’t know how long it will go. But at least I have another interest.
"But there are a lot of different things I can be interested in. I know my life is not going to be over when I retire. And that gives me a lot of comfort but right now I feel physically good enough to continue so I’m going to try to eke that out as long as I can."

Previous article
Williams: Ticktum "one of the best" it's had in its simulator
Next article
Todt: Complaints about growing F1 calendar are wrong

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Lewis Hamilton , Charles Leclerc , Max Verstappen |
Author | Valentin Khorounzhiy |
Horner eager to see Hamilton take on F1's latest talent "wave"
Trending
The Silver Arrows Story: Mercedes W09
Scuderia Ferrari Filming Day Backstage Footage
Back to Work | Valtteri Bottas' 2021 Seat Fit
F1 Explained | Mercedes Power Unit
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…
Why Haas is willing to sacrifice its 2021 F1 season
Every Formula 1 team is facing the same difficult decision this season: how do you split precious aero development time between the current car and the all-new 2022 project?
The big questions of F1 2021 - Karun Chandhok
After an unprecedented season last year, there are plenty of questions and storylines for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign. Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok gives his verdict.
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?
What Red Bull is trying to hide with its RB16B launch
Red Bull made no secret of the fact its 2021 F1 car is an evolution of its predecessor, but in keeping the same foundations while hiding some tightly-guarded updates with its RB16B, the team aims to avoid suffering the same pitfalls of previous years