The Max Verstappen Thread

[XcraigX]

Bottom post of the previous page:

[Everso Biggyballies]

They could have at least shown him coming in for a tyre change.

[White six]

They could have at least shown him coming in for a tyre change.

Is the compound on those even legal?

[Aty]

Alonso after Dutch GP:
https://www.grandprix247.com/2023/08/28 ... ess-dutch/

“It is underestimated sometimes what Max is achieving. I think you need to enter in a mood, in a state that you are connected with a car. Max is achieving that 100% more often than us at the moment, than any of the drivers, so that’s why he’s dominating.”

High praise indeed. Witnessing personal perfection is not boring by any means. Alonso expressed sentiment felt by some of us on the side lines. An excellent car was elevated by its driver to the next level under competitive conditions.

[Aty]

BERGER: VERSTAPPEN IS THE CALIBRE OF AYRTON SENNA
Berger told Speedweek: “Verstappen is the calibre of Ayrton Senna therefore nobody will be able to get past Max at the moment.
Talent like his 1 every 30 years...

https://www.grandprix247.com/2023/08/30 ... gend-goat/
Gerhard can say that, but I cannot. (Not qualified to make such assessment.) I was a few times at the track when Senna was racing, going through my initiation as a future fan, wet behind the ears, and totally inexperienced to judge any racers or anything else. I've detested Senna's arrogance and rooted for Alain Prost, a modest, unassuming man, master in his own right. Today fact is that Max is flying high. One doesn't need to be an expert to recognize that. After Vettel he is the only one who has impressed me. I am lucky to live in time he is racing, and like Alain, Michael, Sebastian before him lured me back, I gladly return to see more.

[Michael Ferner]

I would go even further and say: Max is the calibre of Alain Prost, he's that good.

[Aty]

I would go even further and say: Max is the calibre of Alain Prost, he's that good.

I really would like to agree, but cannot. Not at the moment. Prost was a thinking man, free of impulses, master strategist in his own right, methodically progressing in the race meter by meter (and no DRS). IMHO Max is not at that level yet. He is impulsive, explosive, lacking patience. I am not suggesting it is bad, results are there so obviously he is getting away with it, but in my mind it is not as sophisticated as what we saw from Prost.

[Michael Ferner]

I'm not saying Verstappen is like Prost, not at all!! (more different personalities are hard to imagine, from what I can see about Verstappen junior). But, as a racing driver, he comes as near to perfection as Prost did, possibly even more so. He's just got no weak areas.

[XcraigX]

More on Is Max more like Prost or Senna? discussion...

Max is definately under driving the car this year. Evidenced by his total lack of mistakes and crashes in 2023. A bit last year and in often in 2021 he seemed to make routine mistakes. Crashes in practice or qualifying (but not really in the race unless it involved another driver). However you don't see that at all this year. The difference I seem to think is that he is no longer on the limit. Pushing the car to the limit when you didn't need to was a routine occurrence with Senna. Senna would always look for 11 tenths and routinely crash the car. Max seems to have learned to push up to, but not go over the limit (lets call it 9.5 tenths). Drive just as fast as you need to to beat the competition and not much else. This is where he is becoming a bit more like Prost. He was the master at just driving fast enough when it was needed and not much more (very strategic). It helps that Max is now in a much more superior car, and can afford to back of about a 1/2 tenth. However, it speaks greatly to his maturity and development as a driver.

In conclusion, he seemed to be more like Senna a few years ago, but is becoming more like Prost recently. It's a good place to be. Let's see what happens with a different situation in the future. Will he continue to display his current attributes? Or will he go back to overdriving?

[DoubleFart]

Max is at risk of entering the Lewis v. Bottas phase, where Lewis wasn't having to put the effort in any more, and as soon as somebody was actually able to compete with his car, Lewis was all over the place, making stupid positional errors and looking like a driver who hadn't raced wheel to wheel in 4 years.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Max is at risk of entering the Lewis v. Bottas phase, where Lewis wasn't having to put the effort in any more, and as soon as somebody was actually able to compete with his car, Lewis was all over the place, making stupid positional errors and looking like a driver who hadn't raced wheel to wheel in 4 years.

@DoubleFart Was wondering where you had got to t'other day. All good at work and home I hope.

Re Max a fair point. A lot of Max's future dominance is in Neweys hands and with new regs and engines round the corner (-ish, 2026).....

[Aty]

Max must be flattered by concerns about his future and well-being. I am sure he spends countless sleepless nights thinking about it.

[Aty]

Toto had to put his foot into the discussion.

The championship leader is far from pleased with the Mercedes Team Principal.
“Bulls**t comments," Verstappen told media...

https://racingnews365.com/verstappen-fu ... s-t-theory

This one is a good comment regarding allegations a car is designed for his driving style (as the one designed for Alonso and/or Hamilton).

“For me, what is very important is that you are able to adapt your driving style to what the car needs.”

Apparently Mr. Horner never misses an opportunity for showing some agressivity and spreading his "wisdom":

HORNER: WOLFF LACKS UNDERSTANDING OF HOW A CAR AND TEAM DEVELOP

Amen.

[DoubleFart]

Horner isn't wrong. Wolff inherited a winning platform, and that's why I call him "The Babysitter"


@Everso Biggyballies - still around, check in every now and again. Just trying to work towards retirement at 55. Unrealistic to achieve it before then sadly.

[Aty]

Mr. Horner inherited Mr. Newey. He should be very careful throwing stones around.

[Everso Biggyballies]

Mr. Horner inherited Mr. Newey. He should be very careful throwing stones around.

For the sake of facts Horner did not inherit Newey.

Horner was part of the Jaguar takeover by Red Bull back at the end of 2004 '/ early '05. and the operating as TP in those initial days of Red Bull Racing

For 2006 Horner, then the youngest ever Team Principal in F1, persuaded Newey to leave McLaren where he had successfully won multiple titles as he had done at Williams, and join the fledgling Red Bull organisation. History shows this to have been the most critical appointment Red Bull Racing ever made.... Vettel would no doubt not have had the career he enjoyed, nor Max currently, without the skills of Newey producing the cars that they have successfully driven..

So credit to Horner for a choosing to try and lure Newey away from the at the time mighty McLaren Empire. That he managed to lureNewey away from McLaren and then keep such an influential and no doubt still the most in demand person in pitlane, still controlling the designs and abilities of the Red Bull cars some near 2 decades later is something Horner must be given credit for.

Regardless of whether I like the man or not he deserves that credit. Likewise Wolff who I equally dislike, does at least get my respect for his part in steering and controlling the fortunes of Mercedes F1. (Even though the perhaps mosst important recruit for Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton, was secured and enticed to join Mercedes by the late great Niki Lauda. (RIP Niki )