'Incredible' Verstappen 'on a roll'? McLaren driver's warned
Max Verstappen - Photo: Race Pictures
A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
Former IndyCar driver Danica Patricks saw Max Verstappen get in Lando Norris' head during the Sprint qualifying, something former F1 driver Martin Brundle believes McLaren can't afford to do.
Unless McLaren step on their own tails, he shouldn't be a factor. What they mustn't do is let Max live in their heads rent free.- Martin Brundle
Yesterday Verstappen, after seeing Norris top all sessions all the way to SQ3, was able to pip the British McLaren driver with a time quicker by a mere seven hundrdths of a second.
Coupled with his previous recent successes, Patrick can't help but conclude that Verstappen's run has turned into a "roll" and that he has effectively gotten in Norris' head.
Patrick said in Sky Sports F1's broadcast: "Max is on a roll. He's made up 41 points in the last three races. It's perfect timing to make it exciting for us but not McLaren!
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Max Verstappen in Austin - Photo: Race Pictures
"McLaren are strong. Lando was fastest in practice, SQ1 and SQ2 but Max could get in Lando's head. They need to keep their head straight. Max is an incredible driver."
That, allowing Verstappen to wedge his way into their heads, is precisely the thing Piastri and Norris ought not to do, since Verstappen's involvement in the title fight is solely mathematical, he argues.
"Mathematically he's in the title fight, more than in it.
"But he's got to score on average 10 points more than Piastri in the remaining six weekends, including this one, and about seven points more than Norris.
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Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri - Photo: Race Pictures
"That's a lot and there will be races where McLaren will beat Red Bull, so he probably needs to outscore Piastri by an average of 14 points or something.
"So unless McLaren step on their own tails, he shouldn't be a factor. What they mustn't do is let Max live in their heads rent free," Brundle concluded.
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