Hidde Korte is an editor at GPblog, specializing in Formula 1 news. With a background in journalism and a strong passion for the sport, he delivers timely and reliable coverage of the pinnacle of motorsport.
Former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer has noticed that Max Verstappen has been in excellent form lately, and was not surprised that the Dutchman was victorious in Malaysia and Singapore.
On the F1 Nation podcast, Palmer reflected on Verstappen’s season so far. The Brit has seen Verstappen drive strongly throughout the season, with almost no mistakes, and also described Red Bull’s resurgence as sensational.
"When you look at the whole picture here, the uptrend for Red Bull is massive. We've spoken for years about McLaren's turnaround in form. A couple of years ago, it was certainly huge, when Lando came from nowhere to suddenly we were thinking 'can he fight for a championship,' before he did.
"But I think this Red Bull turnaround in form might be on paper, when you look at the percentage difference."
Palmer impressed by Verstappen
ADVERTISEMENT
Palmer believes Verstappen has been performing at an exceptionally high level all season. "When you look at Max, he has been delivering at a high level all season. It's not a massive surprise. There's been one or two mistakes this year which for once we've seen that he is human."
Palmer is impressed by Max Verstappen this year. Photo: Red Bull Contentpool
Palmer has compared Verstappen’s points tally with Antonelli’s over the course of the season. From the Monaco Grand Prix onward, Verstappen’s consistency is clear. After Monaco, he was just 113 points behind the young Italian. Now, that gap stands at 119 points.
"If you started the championship after Monaco, Max would be champion. Probably if you started before Monaco, by the end of the season he'll have enough points that he'd be champion."
'Verstappen makes other drivers afraid'
ADVERTISEMENT
Palmer says those numbers underline Verstappen’s class. The Brit believes they have instilled a certain fear in his rivals. "That's the incredible form he has shown when he didn't have the fastest car, and now he does, he's formidable.
"And I still just think he's got, in terms of driving, I think he's got everyone else almost fearing the battle with him. There's almost a sense of resignation when you take on Max," Palmer concluded.
Don’t miss GPblog in Google
Mark us as a preferred source and our articles will appear more often at the top of Top Stories.
Add as a preferred / source on Google