“It’s Cockiness” – Will Buxton Hails Max Verstappen and His Arrogance Like Self Confidence

Formula 1 reporter Will Buxton had immense words of praise for Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. The Briton highlighted one particular attribute that makes Verstappen stand out from the rest in the world of Formula 1. Additionally, Buxton admitted that a part of the reason behind Max’s supreme form was the environment at Red Bull.

Buxton on Max Verstappen

This is Verstappen’s sixth season in Formula 1 and the Dutchman is only 22 years old. He’s come a long way since being a fresh-faced kid who possessed a racing license before a driving license. Verstappen is undoubtedly one of the best drivers in Formula 1 today and given the right car, a future World Champion.

One quality that makes Max Verstappen the driver that he is, is his ability to accept deficiencies and improve. Buxton talked about this and claimed it was this attitude that gave the Dutchman an edge. Yes, Max comes off as arrogant at times but he knows he has the skill to back it up. Even on his bad days, the Dutchman says it like it is and strives to avoid repeating his shortcomings.

Speaking to the RTL GP’s Slipstream podcast, Buxton said:

“It’s his unashamed, unabashed confidence, some might say arrogance”

“It’s cockiness that he knows he’s good and he knows there’s that World Championship waiting inside him”

“The ability to learn from his mistakes, to adapt, to improve and you see him becoming the complete racer”

The Red Bull effect

Buxton also praised Red Bull for creating an environment that enables young drivers to flourish. While Ferrari and Mercedes may appear as the best teams to drive for from the outside, there’s a fair amount of internal pressure. In Ferrari’s case, drivers need to watch what they say and handle the immense pressure of an entire nation’s hopes and dreams. After 13 years of failing to win World Championships, the Tifosi are growing impatient by the day.

On the other hand, Mercedes has the pressure of delivering and staying ahead of the competition every season. As a result, all it takes is one bad season to lose years of momentum and hard work.  Something that Red Bull knows a thing or two about.

“You can’t imagine if he would have that same freedom everywhere else. They let him be him.” 

In the event of a shortened season, can Max and Red Bull pull an unlikely championship out of the bag?