Max Verstappen

[paulguitar]

95 fiesta si said:

paulguitar said:

I really hope the season does not become really one-sided as it looks like it might. We had an excellent start, but not even Hamilton can do much to compete against a car that is making up a second every 4 laps purely on the straights.

Yea i hope so to, well iam guessing next race will be advantage red bull again, cant see what Lewis can do any different with the next 7 days. It only takes 1 race for max to have a DNF and Lewis to win and we are right back where we started.

I'm worried that the Red Bull simply has too big an advantage at present. Lewis and Max are two truly great drivers, it's a real treat when we get to see them fighting on equal terms, I want some more of that!

[Piginapoke]

paulguitar said:

I'm worried that the Red Bull simply has too big an advantage at present. Lewis and Max are two truly great drivers, it's a real treat when we get to see them fighting on equal terms, I want some more of that!

I look at it more as payback for 7 years of Merc budget driven domination/boredom/virtue signalling.

[paulguitar]

Piginapoke said:

I look at it more as payback for 7 years of Merc budget driven domination/boredom/virtue signalling.

Yes, your feelings have been noted before.

[Piginapoke]

paulguitar said:

Piginapoke said:

I look at it more as payback for 7 years of Merc budget driven domination/boredom/virtue signalling.

Yes, your feelings have been noted before.

Good to know

[Jasandjules]

So far he seems to be handling the pressure quite well. It is also going to be interesting to see if there is a reliability issue with the Red Bull engine or if their increase in pace is simply using less downforce... If that is all it is then it looks like it will be difficult for Merc to even come close.

[sparta6]

paulguitar said:

I really hope the season does not become really one-sided as it looks like it might.

Don't worry Red Bull are not going to be bagging 12 x one-two's in a season

Merc and RB are both contenders.

[vdn]

sparta6 said:

paulguitar said:

I really hope the season does not become really one-sided as it looks like it might.

Don't worry Red Bull are not going to be bagging 12 x one-two's in a season

Merc and RB are both contenders.

Both contenders but Red Bull have the best package. And as such, deserve to be winning.

I think it's a done deal bar some consistent RB reliability issue.

[paulguitar]

I think if Max has a clear advantage at Silverstone, the season is realistically not recoverable for Merc unless some reliability issues ruin things for RB.

The alarming thing for Merc is that the Red Bull seems to have been the best car ar all sorts of different circuits and now has no obvious weak areas.


All credit to Max. He's made some mistakes, as has Lewis, but he's doing a solid job.

[anonymous-user]

Once Hamilton retires is Max just going to win every single season from that point on? He is still only 23, it is entirely possible he could beat Hamilton's records once he has retired.

Max just seems to be on a different level to all the other drivers.

[paulguitar]

Joey Deacon said:

Once Hamilton retires is Max just going to win every single season from that point on? He is still only 23, it is entirely possible he could beat Hamilton's records once he has retired.

Max just seems to be on a different level to all the other drivers.

Yep, I think Max and Lewis are on a separate level. Image what this season would have been like with no Hamilton involved.

[Muzzer79]

Joey Deacon said:

Once Hamilton retires is Max just going to win every single season from that point on? He is still only 23, it is entirely possible he could beat Hamilton's records once he has retired.

Max just seems to be on a different level to all the other drivers.

It's an easy assumption to make, however there's too many unknowns:

Massive rule change next year, then new engines in 2025.
Honda pulling out at the end of this year - RB are starting an engine department built from scratch.
Next year's car could be a stinker - it's been known.
Next year's car could be OK but someone else could do a '2009 Brawn' and find something performance-wise that no-one else has.
Max is excellent, but he's not infallible. Some other very good drivers out there that could challenge if they get the right equipment - LeClerc, Norris, Russell to name but 3.

History tells us that it's likely at some point that Max will likely want to change teams. If and when he does that will be crucial in terms of timing - can he time it perfectly like Hamilton did?

However, given his age and results so far, I agree that it's entirely possible he could surpass Hamilton's numbers eventually.

[Flooble]

Jasandjules said:

So far he seems to be handling the pressure quite well. It is also going to be interesting to see if there is a reliability issue with the Red Bull engine or if their increase in pace is simply using less downforce... If that is all it is then it looks like it will be difficult for Merc to even come close.

Since Red Bull went a race longer with their first engine and even being at end of life and turned down it easily kept up with the brand new Mercedes units, I don't think there will be any reliability issues this year. It's been Mercedes powered cars having gremlins.

[ChocolateFrog]

Joey Deacon said:

Once Hamilton retires is Max just going to win every single season from that point on? He is still only 23, it is entirely possible he could beat Hamilton's records once he has retired.

Max just seems to be on a different level to all the other drivers.

Possible but unlikely.

The best driver in the world wouldn't have beaten the Mercs until the last year or two.

When Hamilton retires no one will beat Verstappen if he's in the best car.

[Mr Pointy]

Joey Deacon said:

Once Hamilton retires is Max just going to win every single season from that point on? He is still only 23, it is entirely possible he could beat Hamilton's records once he has retired.

Max just seems to be on a different level to all the other drivers.

It depends entirely on the car he gets to drive: no driver can overcome an slow car.

[Flooble]

Mr Pointy said:

Joey Deacon said:

Once Hamilton retires is Max just going to win every single season from that point on? He is still only 23, it is entirely possible he could beat Hamilton's records once he has retired.

Max just seems to be on a different level to all the other drivers.

It depends entirely on the car he gets to drive: no driver can overcome an slow car.

Depends if Red Bull come out with a race-winner for 2022. I think if they do, it could be at least four years of dominance. if they don't (e.g. they put too much into this years' car), Max may regret his maiden Championship.

[Fonzey]

Muzzer79 said:

It's an easy assumption to make, however there's too many unknowns:

Massive rule change next year, then new engines in 2025.
Honda pulling out at the end of this year - RB are starting an engine department built from scratch.
Next year's car could be a stinker - it's been known.
Next year's car could be OK but someone else could do a '2009 Brawn' and find something performance-wise that no-one else has.
Max is excellent, but he's not infallible. Some other very good drivers out there that could challenge if they get the right equipment - LeClerc, Norris, Russell to name but 3.

History tells us that it's likely at some point that Max will likely want to change teams. If and when he does that will be crucial in terms of timing - can he time it perfectly like Hamilton did?

However, given his age and results so far, I agree that it's entirely possible he could surpass Hamilton's numbers eventually.

Yes, but I think with these points considered, Max is actually under a lot of personal pressure - more so than a 'normal' year and WDC battle. If Lewis doesn't pick up the WDC this year he'll be gutted I'm sure, but ultimately 7 instead of 8 is no real stain on his legacy. For Max though he (nor anybody else) has a clue what the running order will be next year, this could be his one and only chance for a WDC or it could be the first of 10. It must be feeling a bit tetchy to be in a WDC capable car right now knowing that you've got one known stab at it.

[kiseca]

Muzzer79 said:

Joey Deacon said:

Once Hamilton retires is Max just going to win every single season from that point on? He is still only 23, it is entirely possible he could beat Hamilton's records once he has retired.

Max just seems to be on a different level to all the other drivers.

It's an easy assumption to make, however there's too many unknowns:

Massive rule change next year, then new engines in 2025.
Honda pulling out at the end of this year - RB are starting an engine department built from scratch.
Next year's car could be a stinker - it's been known.
Next year's car could be OK but someone else could do a '2009 Brawn' and find something performance-wise that no-one else has.
Max is excellent, but he's not infallible. Some other very good drivers out there that could challenge if they get the right equipment - LeClerc, Norris, Russell to name but 3.

History tells us that it's likely at some point that Max will likely want to change teams. If and when he does that will be crucial in terms of timing - can he time it perfectly like Hamilton did?

However, given his age and results so far, I agree that it's entirely possible he could surpass Hamilton's numbers eventually.

Yes. He definitely could surpass Hamilton's records. I didn't think Schumacher's would be passed so quickly even, but it's not all down to the driver. It's a team sport, you need the right driver in the right car at the right time, and historically no driver has managed to spend his whole career in the top car. Hamilton had, what, 5 years in a McLaren that wasn't going to give him a championship? What would his record be like if McLaren were the top team back then? He could have been on 5 championships by 2012.... and then that may have been his lot because if the McLaren was winning he may not have joined Merc.

For Max to absolutely maximise his winning potential, he has to stick with Red Bull for as long as they're the fastest car, which could well be less than a full season for all we know now, and then accurately guess what is going to be the next fastest car and switch to that. He'll either stick with Red Bull a few years and then move, or he could also move to a team just as it gets overtaken. He has the talent to take the championship wins if he also happens to make the right moves, which does involve some luck on his part too. But that inconsistency he had seems to be a thing of the past. He's having a very mature season and doing all the right things.

We also don't know what Lando or George will do if they get in a car that's fast enough to take them to a championship. Or who the next big thing is, who might be a season or two away still. Could they compete? Would they be quick enough to take championships from Max if they are in similar cars?

To me this season is very clearly demonstrating how important it is to both have the best car and the best driver. Take either Lewis or Max out of the equation, and the other would be dominating. Take them both out of the equation and we have a fight between Perez and Bottas, 20ish seconds later.

Everything has to come together to win the title. Sometimes you can get away with dropping one thing or another, but not this season. Everything's to play for. If I was Merc I'd not be focussing on next year. That's an unknown. This season is in reach if they can find the right upgrades. Personally I think they should fight for it.

[Muzzer79]

kiseca said:

If I was Merc I'd not be focussing on next year. That's an unknown. This season is in reach if they can find the right upgrades. Personally I think they should fight for it.

I disagree

I'd rather focus on a car concept for the next (x) years than compromise that to fight for 2021.

Look at McLaren & Ferrari in 2008 - they spent far too much effort going for that year, arguably to the detriment of the next 5 years.

[kiseca]

Muzzer79 said:

kiseca said:

If I was Merc I'd not be focussing on next year. That's an unknown. This season is in reach if they can find the right upgrades. Personally I think they should fight for it.

I disagree

I'd rather focus on a car concept for the next (x) years than compromise that to fight for 2021.

Look at McLaren & Ferrari in 2008 - they spent far too much effort going for that year, arguably to the detriment of the next 5 years.

I was looking at McLaren for 1988, when most of the teams wrote off that year to focus on their preparations for the big rule change coming in 1989. McLaren dominated with the MP4/4, and then went on to dominate 1989 anyway.

I'm not saying they should ignore next year, but I am saying I think they should spend more resources on this year than I'm hearing they are doing. What I've heard (I think it was a Hamilton interview quoted on PH?) is that they aren't (or are barely) developing this year's car and are focussed on 2022.

[Teddy Lop]

Muzzer79 said:

kiseca said:

If I was Merc I'd not be focussing on next year. That's an unknown. This season is in reach if they can find the right upgrades. Personally I think they should fight for it.

I disagree

I'd rather focus on a car concept for the next (x) years than compromise that to fight for 2021.

Look at McLaren & Ferrari in 2008 - they spent far too much effort going for that year, arguably to the detriment of the next 5 years.

It's an interesting perhaps downside to the cost cap that merc just might have to write this year off rather than reallocate resources they hadn't planned on using for in season dev. In most instances It's more resource efficient to develop something properly than to build it then deviate to address poor performance. Could we see the end of in season development arms races, with teams that turn up with an underperforming car writing seasons off even sooner to commit resources forward?