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Former F1 driver: 'Verstappen is above everyone else at the moment'.

Former F1 driver: 'Verstappen is above everyone else at the moment'.

13-08-2022 19:27 Last update: 21:20
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GPblog.com

Former Formula One driver Hans-Joachim Stuck looks back on the first half of the season in which Red Bull Racing took the lead in both championships. They owe this mainly to mistakes made at Ferrari, both by the drivers and the team. The German is critical of the Italian team and says Red Bull Racing is doing very well.

When the German is asked about Mattia Binotto' s position within Ferrari, Stuck begins in an interview with Eurosport.de "I don't know how much longer Ferrari will give him credit". Stuck also has his doubts about the crash of Charles Leclerc during the French Grand Prix. "The oversteer did not come from him. I can imagine that he was instructed by the team to claim that he made a mistake, even though there was a problem with the car. I wouldn't rule that out."

Verstappen above everyone else

There has been a lot of pressure on Ferrari in recent races. But the German former driver is sure Leclerc can compete with the Dutchman. "Verstappen is above everyone else at the moment. Right behind him are drivers like Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, Carlos Sainz or George Russell, who can definitely take on him." With nine races to go, the big task for Ferrari is to close the gap on Red Bull. "If they want to make it happen, the mistakes they made this year must not happen again. It's a shame how many points they've thrown away already this season."

Red Bull on pedestal

Currently Verstappen has an 80-point lead over Leclerc, but according to the German that doesn't mean anything yet and theoretically everything is still possible and Ferrari can't be written off yet. "But the basis is that they stop making mistakes. Technically they are at a very high level. But you must not forget one thing: the driver Verstappen and the team of Red Bull are on a pedestal at the moment. They are doing just fine." In conclusion, Stuck says he is looking forward to the battle at the top due to the exciting points difference and with some interesting races still ahead.