From making an entry into Formula 1 in 2015, Max Verstappen is now one of the prime contenders for winning the 2021 championship title, alongside the seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton.
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And amidst this surging juicy rivalry, Ross Brawn opened up about how Verstappen has matured over the years in F1. Furthermore, he felt that the Verstappen of 2021 is no longer bothered about individual races. Instead, his focus is entirely on the big picture.
What did Brawn say?
As reported by SpeedWeek, Brawn opined that Verstappen isn’t approaching the 2021 F1 season like he usually does.
“For me, Max Verstappen is no longer the same driver as he used to be,” he said. “Now that he has a car with which he can become world champion, it can be seen that he approaches the races differently. (Translated from German using Google Translate)
“His attitude has changed. He thinks less about the individual race and more about the big picture.”
Reuters
Formula One F1 – Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in action during the race REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
The flying Dutchman is just eight points shy of the championship leader at the moment. And all it takes is one good race to see Verstappen leap to the top of the table. Of course, it was a struggle-induced weekend in Portimao for the Red Bull driver.
But the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix will most likely suit the style of RB16B, and Verstappen would be very much aware of it.
It always came down to Max Verstappen vs Lewis Hamilton: Brawn
The F1 managing director stated that each of the past three race weekends had an on-track battling between Hamilton and Verstappen. Hence, he is quite assured that this trend will continue until the very end of this season.
“Looking back, we had three World Championship races with Bahrain, Imola, and Portimão on tracks and under conditions that were very different,” he said.
“But it always came down to a duel between Max and Lewis. For me, this is a very strong indication that this style will continue. And I’m really looking forward to it.”
Reuters
Formula One F1 – Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen celebrates after finishing first on the podium with second placed, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
The interesting bit about Verstappen this season is that he isn’t committing a lot of mistakes like he usually does. Hence, following the abundant criticisms during his early days in F1, the Dutchman is steadily growing up to be a fan favorite.
Overall, it has undeniably been a near-perfect season for Verstappen so far. So, can he ultimately rise up to be the 34th distinct world champion in F1? Well, let’s see what the future holds.