Red Bull: Hamilton can't drive at this level for much longer
The early indications from pre-season testing suggest Mercedes and Red Bull will be at the sharp end of the grid once again
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko believes Lewis Hamilton won't be able to perform at his best for much longer, as the British driver aims to win a record-breaking eighth world championship in 2022.
Hamilton, who was fastest in the first pre-season test in Barcelona, is the second oldest driver on the grid at 37-years-old, with Fernando Alonso two years older.
A hat-trick of race wins in Brazil, Qatar and Saudi Arabia put Hamilton in a strong position heading into the 2021 season finale, where he controversially lost the title to Max Verstappen.
"Hamilton delivered an incredible second half of the season," Marko told Austrian outlet OE24.
"I can hardly imagine he can drive at this level for much longer. He's at his zenith now, age is slowly coming into play."
The early indications from pre-season testing suggest Mercedes and Red Bull will be at the sharp end of the grid once again, so Hamilton and Verstappen are set to have more battles during 2022.
Verstappen, who will carry the number one on his car, will only improve according to Marko.
"He's World Champion now and he will get stronger," said Marko.
Due to the controversy of the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, race director Michael Masi has been replaced by Eduardo Freitas and Niels Wittich.
Verstappen has stated Masi was thrown under the bus and Marko agrees with the Dutchman's comments.
"I don't think it's right for him [Masi] to be pushed away like this," added Marko. "Masi should not have been questioned as a person, but how he did his job.
"A modern solution has been introduced with VAR. This is the future in F1."Red Bull boss Horner reveals Michael Masi received death threats
Masi was removed as Formula 1 race director in mid-February
