Statistically almost F1 champ: Verstappen “strongly reminds” of Schumacher

Statistically almost an F1 champ
Verstappen “strongly reminds” of Schumacher

Max Verstappen is going into the last four races of the Formula 1 season with a 19-point lead. The Red Bull driver is very close to his first world title – and now there are also tips from a three-time champion. Ross Brawn even sees characteristics of Michael Schumacher in the Dutchman.

Relax a little, enjoy life with his Kelly Piquet, recharge your batteries – before the next showdown in the title race, Max Verstappen was enjoying a few days off. The Formula 1 shooting star stayed with his girlfriend, nine years older than him, on the farm of Kelly’s father Nelson Piquet – and got to know the three-time world champion from Brazil. “They finally meet,” wrote Kelly Piquet on Instagram.

On Sunday, Verstappen wants to take the next step in Piquet’s home country in order to be able to call himself world champion as soon as possible. “Of course it looks good,” said the Dutchman before the São Paulo Grand Prix (Sunday, 6pm / Sky and in the live ticker at ntv.de): “But it can also turn very quickly.”

Don’t let up now, stay focused – Verstappen senses his chance to fulfill his great childhood dream in his seventh season. “I’m not thinking about the World Cup, we have to keep fighting to the end,” said the Red Bull man. The 24-year-old is 19 points ahead of defending champion Lewis Hamilton, with four races to go.

Since his arrival in the premier class in 2015, Verstappen has been an exceptional talent, a child prodigy – as a 17-year-old he was already doing his laps with Hamilton and Co. when he didn’t have a driver’s license. The gifted is a kind of “Mozart of motorsport”, but Verstappen doesn’t just rely on his talent.

Statistically, Verstappen is almost through

In Formula 1 sporting director Ross Brawn, Verstappen therefore brings back memories of the great Michael Schumacher. “Max didn’t make a single mistake. That was pretty damn impressive,” wrote Brawn, the former “mastermind” at Kerpener’s side, in his column after Verstappen’s world championship appearance last time in Mexico: A pretty “perfect” performance.

Before the race, Verstappen had spent hours trying out possible options for the first few meters after the start. “That reminds me a lot of Michael Schumacher. He looked at all the corners and considered all possible scenarios,” wrote Brawn: “So in every corner he knew exactly how much he could dare. Max did very well with corner one considered, and that gave him the confidence to brake so late and still get around the corner. ” The overtaking maneuver was the cornerstone of Verstappen’s ninth win of the season.

According to statistics, Verstappen can hardly take the World Cup crown. Only one driver in history has not become world champion with nine or more victories this season – of all things, Hamilton 2016 in a duel with Nico Rosberg. But that doesn’t mean that Verstappen is going to take it slow, on the contrary.

“He will drive for victory in every race. Paying attention to placements and points in order to win the title in the end does not help. That is not in his blood,” said Red Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko. Verstappen even has room for improvement: “You think he’s already at his peak – and then he goes one better. It’s unbelievable what capacities he has at his relatively young age.”

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