Verstappen praised by Villeneuve ahead of Austrian Grand Prix

Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has once again praised Max Verstappen. Prior to the Austrian Grand Prix, the former world champion showed his admiration for the Dutchman. According to Villeneuve, Verstappen is really making a difference in Formula 1.

While teammate Sergio Pérez struggles in qualifying and races, partly due to cut-throat competition, Verstappen continuously makes the most of it. The three-time World Champion has already taken seven wins and eight pole positions so far in 2024, while recent weeks have shown that Red Bull is no longer as dominant as it was in 2023.

"At the moment, he is really making the difference," Villeneuve reveals to GPblog. "If you see the gap to Pérez, he is already at his limit. And Max puts the limit higher every time. The car is not horrible, but difficult. It is difficult to drive though," the Canadian stated. Villeneuve, who is nevertheless known for his clashes with drivers because of his harsh analyses, now seems to have been won over by Verstappen after all.