Verstappen was SO good: 'Everyone else was mentally wrecked'

In some Grands Prix during the 2023 F1 season, it seemed as if Max Verstappen could drive to victory without having to exert himself excessively. Fights on the edge were hardly necessary for the now three-time world champion. Jolyon Palmer, himself a former F1 driver and now an analyst, thinks this is a shame. He would like to see Verstappen challenged more mentally.

In the BBC's Chequered Flag podcast, the Brit states that he hopes to see Verstappen mentally tested soon. "Everyone else was broken," Palmer said. "When they were wheel to wheel with Verstappen, they were basically just waving them through because they knew they wouldn't beat him over the long run. They were just battered and destroyed by Verstappen mentally. I want someone to take it to him and see how Max has developed in the bigger picture sense of the Championship."

Palmer amused by F1 season

Palmer says he greatly enjoyed the past F1 season, even though Red Bull Racing won all but one Grands Prix. He says the very race the Austrian team did not win - the Singapore GP - is among the highlights of the year. It was in the streets of the Asian city-state that no fewer than four drivers were battling each other for victory until the final kilometres. In the end, Carlos Sainz won on behalf of Ferrari in Singapore.

"If you took Red Bull out of the picture, the season actually would've been vintage," Palmer said. "Alonso up there, Mercedes and Ferrari up there consistently. Then Norris, McLaren, Piastri. So many other drivers got on the podium this year but you just always knew who was going to win it apart from Perez's early couple of cameo wins. Max was incredible, he didn't put a foot wrong."