When Graham Rahal defended IndyCar from Lewis Hamilton's remark: "It took everything I had not to say something"

Graham Rahal came out in 2017 to defend IndyCar against Lewis Hamilton's comments about the series. It all began with Fernando Alonso's former teammate commenting about the Spaniard's performance at the 2017 Indy 500 as the two-time F1 champion qualified P5 for the race.

Lewis Hamilton came out and made comments that put IndyCar down as he suggested that Alonso, in his very first IndyCar outing, was able to outqualify most of the full-season IndyCar drivers, and was running the pace of the fastest drivers in the American open-wheel racing series.

"I looked at the times and, frankly, for his first-ever qualifying for Fernando to be fifth -- what does that say about Indy? To see him fifth against drivers who are there all year is interesting,” Lewis Hamilton told L'Equipe.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing star Graham Rahal came out all guns blazing to defend IndyCar from Hamilton’s comments. The IndyCar veteran driver suggested that it was hard for him to speak up against someone as honored as the seven-time F1 champion, but that it had to be done.

F1 Grand Prix of Miami - Previews - Source: Getty

“Look, man, when I saw Lewis Hamilton's comment, you guys know me, it took me everything I had in my body not to say something. Legitimately, in Formula 1, over his entire career, it's been a two-car race, four max, max,” said Graham Rahal [via Autoweek].

The RLL driver then pointed out the fact that the American open-wheel racing series had seven different winners in the first seven races of the 2017 season, hence pointing at how competitive the grid is, compared to F1, where Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes were dominating in the mid to late 2010s.

“IndyCar racing -- this is the seventh race, seventh different winner. That doesn't happen in other motorsports, period. So no matter what anybody wants to say, it's a great form of motorsports,” added Graham Rahal.

Rahal also went on to suggest an alternate scenario, wherein six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon could offer a stiff challenge to Lewis Hamilton in a Mercedes.

---

Graham Rahal takes jab at Lewis Hamilton saying Scott Dixon could give him 'more than he really wants to deal with'

After defending IndyCar from Lewis Hamilton's comments about the competitiveness, Graham Rahal decided to take a shot at the Briton. The RLL driver detailed the Mercedes dominance in 2017 and suggested that all Hamilton needs to worry about is beating his teammate.

INDYCAR Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Source: Getty

Rahal then suggested that if Scott Dixon is put up in the Mercedes F1 car against Hamilton, then the six-time IndyCar champion will give the seven-time F1 champion a run for his money.

“I can't imagine the feeling of going to each and every race weekend and knowing that all I got to do is beat my teammate and I'm going to win,” said Rahal.

“And, look, truth, I put Scott Dixon in a Mercedes all day long, and Lewis is going to have more than (he) really wants to deal with. I can guarantee you that,” he added.

IndyCar’s play-by-play announcer Will Buxton recently compared F1 drivers to their IndyCar counterparts. Buxton compared Lewis Hamilton to Scott Dixon in the said comparison video.