'Verstappen doesn't want a different driver in the second Red Bull'

Max Verstappen looks set to capture his third world title (in a row) over the weekend in Qatar. So the following question often goes around: who else can Verstappen beat in Formula 1? Many Formula 1 fans see talents like Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as having a lot of talent. Even British Formula One journalist Peter Windsor does not see many drivers coming close to the Dutchman.

Windsor on teammate Verstappen

"I can tell you the drivers that Max wouldn't want in the other Red Bull," Windsor told a livestream on his YouTube channel. "Not because he's afraid they're going to beat him, but because they're going to be a little bit of an irritation and distraction and not allow him just to relax and do the job that he can do in a perfect way if the car is a championship-winning car," the British expert continued.

Despite there being few drivers who can come close to Verstappen in the championship, Windsor picks out one specific driver. He thinks this driver could yet have the language of the reigning world champion.

Can Piastri challenge Verstappen?

"I think Oscar probably has the level of natural talent that Max has," says Windsor. "It's impossible to say at this stage, but it's starting to look as if he has an extraordinary amount of natural talent and if that's all channeled the right way, and he's in a position to be in a car that's going to reward that talent going forward, he could well end up being a multi-championship winner."

Not only Piastri's name but also Norris' is often linked to Red Bull. Karun Chandhok recently said that Norris was at the top of the shopping list of Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari. These are just rumours for now, as the Englishman from Bristol still has a contract running until the end of 2025 at McLaren.

What makes Verstappen unapproachable?

But why then is Verstappen so unbeatable according to Windsor? "Max knows exactly what he needs to do in order to maximise everything that Adrian Newey and his team can do. It's almost impossible to beat Max. I don't think anybody could beat Max getting into that car right now," Windsor concluded.