Coulthard backs Verstappen’s title bid despite Red Bull’s struggles
Co-author:Tobia Elia
Kim Hoefnagel is a journalist at GPblog, specializing in Formula 1 and Formula E. With a background in communication and experience at international circuits, she delivers reliable coverage and interviews, complemented by insights from her work in the paddock and across social media.
David Coulthard believes Max Verstappen is still very much in the running for this year’s title. However, the former F1 driver insists that both Red Bull and Verstappen have what it takes to pull off something extraordinary.
Despite the RB21’s flaws, Verstappen has delivered some impressive results so far—securing four pole position (in Japan, Saudi Arabia, Miami, and Britain) and winning the Japanese and Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix's.
In particular, the pole positions at Suzuka and Silverstone came as quite a surprise. David Coulthard himself did not attend the Grand Prix of Japan this year, but naturally followed the race weekend closely.
''I wasn’t in Japan, but I was watching Qualifying, and when Max took pole there, I was like, ‘How did he do that?’ It was a little bit like that at Silverstone as well,'' the former Red Bull driver reflected via F1.com.
''That’s one of the things I love about the sport – seeing exceptional drivers do exceptional things when others can’t or haven’t.''
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David Coulthard
Verstappen still in the fight for the title
According to the Brit, Verstappen's performances in Britain and Japan prove that you cannot just disregard him: "You cannot rule Max out."
However, he admitted that it will take a bigger effort this year to have a realistic shot at clinching the title: ''I think for the championship, we all know it’s going to take an upgrade to unlock some performance.''
It is a well-known fact that the RB21 is not performing as expected, and that Verstappen is also not satisfied with the current state of the car: ''Where Red Bull are right now, and if they were frozen, it’s difficult to imagine that the second half of the season circuits are suddenly going to suit the Red Bull better than the first half.''
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Finally, Coulthard added: ''It will take an upgrade from Red Bull to give him the consistency. Are they capable of doing it? Absolutely. Have they done it before? Yes. Is Max exceptional? Absolutely.''
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