Coronel: 'Imola will be crucial to Verstappen's title chances'

Although it is obviously still very early in the season and the championship can still go either way, after the first three races it does not look good for Max Verstappen. Thanks to two dropouts, he is already way behind Charles Leclerc in the championship. However, Dutch driver Tom Coronel remains hopeful when it comes to the chances of the Dutchman.

The second retirement in three races is a hard blow for Verstappen and Red Bull Racing. Tom Coronel describes it at Motorsport.com even as a small punch on the nose for the Dutchman. The retirments hurt even more because Verstappen and Red Bull clearly have the speed to fight for pole positions and victories. Verstappen and Red Bull have already given away a lot of points as a result and therefore have a serious problem.

Verstappen is now 46 points behind in the championship. Among the constructors, Red Bull is 49 points behind. A huge one after three races, but with twenty races to go everything is still possible. Coronel shares that opinion and thinks that the world title with Verstappen is never completely gone. The reigning world champion will never give up according to Coronel.

Prolonging his title is still possible for Verstappen, but something has to happen quickly at Red Bull. Especially in the area of reliability. In Imola, many teams will come with upgrades, including Red Bull. According to Coronel, this Grand Prix will therefore be one of the most important races of the year and crucial for Verstappen's title chances.