We need to talk about Max Verstappen

[Tal]

After this race (Spa), I thought I'd get some opinions about what you think of Max's race craft etc. I expect a tasty discussion is to be had.

Is he a menace?
Is he a racing genius?
Does he need to tone it down a bit?
Does he need to keep doing what he's doing?
Should he have been penalised?
Should Nico have been penalised in Hockenheim?

So many questions. Much intrigue. Wow.

Discuss.

 

[the_sigman]

Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No

 

[burrito]

Way over the line this race. Race control should be ashamed they let these kind of incidents happen with no investigation but penalise track limits so harshly... what's more dangerous, diving down the inside and late defending on straights or cutting the track onto green astro-turf?

 

[Tomi]

Max is definitely fast driver but he have absolutely no respect what so ever towards other drivers.
I think this quote from him says pretty clearly what kind of driver he is:

"The Ferrari's ruined my race in the first corner. Then I will not let them past. I'd prefer to run them off the track instead. Let them rage over the team radio, it's fun the people at home in front of the television".

Not very wise words from him.

 

[kedy89]

Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No

Exactly the same.

He posed a danger for other drivers this race. Turn 1 trying to make up for barely getting off the line by going for a gap that wasn't there. Then trying to hold on to his position with a severly damaged front wing, running off track a couple of times in the fast corners. Easily could've been a hard crash. Moving right when the car behind him (Räikkönen) had already gone to that very side to pass him. Could've ended up like Valencia 2011 or worse. That was plain and simple idiotic and dangerous.
Worst is that a) race stewards simply ignore it, or rather punish the other driver like in Hockenheim, and b) he doesn't seem to see his faults.
He may be fast, but the way he's currently going he might turn in another Maldonado.

 

[paracletus]

Bad race today for sure.

 

[yusupov]

Max is definitely fast driver but he have absolutely no respect what so ever towards other drivers.
I think this quote from him says pretty clearly what kind of driver he is:

"The Ferrari's ruined my race in the first corner. Then I will not let them past. I'd prefer to run them off the track instead. Let them rage over the team radio, it's fun the people at home in front of the television".

Not very wise words from him.

he actually said that??? or are you interpreting his thoughts?? i honestly can't tell; what a spoiled child he's turned out to be.

 

[Stefan Woudenberg]

Maybe better ask, do you hate Max yes or no.

 

[the_sigman]

Maybe better ask, do you hate Max yes or no.

The fun part is that every neutral sees Max at fault, only his fans are thinking it is ok to chop the rival at 330 kph

 

[Tal]

Maybe better ask, do you hate Max yes or no.

what would be the answer to that question, had I asked it?

 

[Stefan Woudenberg]

I saw Max go for a very very tiny gap (not locking his brakes), Vettel turning in on Kimi, Kimi, avoiding Vettel . Kimi collecting Max... end of story.

 

[Tal]

@Stefan Woudenberg I'm also of the mind that Max wasn't the immediate guilty party of that incident. Vettel left enough room for Kimi (assuming that Kimi had the inside of the corner to turn into), but he must've not have known that Max was also on the inside, otherwise he would've surely left more room.
I'm more interested in your opinion of the rest of the incidents involving Max.

 

[Stefan Woudenberg]

@Stefan Woudenberg I'm also of the mind that Max wasn't the immediate guilty party of that incident. Vettel left enough room for Kimi (assuming that Kimi had the inside of the corner to turn into), but he must've not have known that Max was also on the inside, otherwise he would've surely left more room.
I'm more interested in your opinion of the rest of the incidents involving Max.

You mean on Kemmel straight with Kimi? I saw Max go right at the moment Kimi wanted to pass him and he had to lift. I presumed that you could move from the racing line once... Maybe I had too much beer that he was moving more than once?

 

[AndrewBo]

he actually said that??? or are you interpreting his thoughts?? i honestly can't tell; what a spoiled child he's turned out to be.

 

[Tal]

You mean on Kemmel straight with Kimi? I saw Max go right at the moment Kimi wanted to pass him and he had to lift. I presumed that you could move from the racing line once... Maybe I had too much beer that he was moving more than once?

Well, yes, that's one of them. The problem here wasn't the amount of moves he made because that was fine, it was the timing of it. Waiting for the driver behind who naturally will be super close to the rear of your car (for slipstream) to make the first move and then immediately reacting to block it is extremely dangerous, especially at those speeds. Essentially, when Kimi made the move to go on the inside there were mere inches between him and Max.
Also there were the incidents in Les Combes, with both Kimi and Perez.

 

[Jake Fangio]

He's a talent no doubt,but he's only 18 and at 18 I was falling down drunk every Saturday night.If he's still doing the same things come the end of the season,then I'll be concerned.
The late move in front of Kimi was naughty,b it on the plus side it's funny to hear Kimi complain.
On a side note,I hate to hear the fan's boo Nico,he drove a great race and his skirmish with Max at Hockenhiem should be forgotten
Maybe the Kimi fan's will boo Max when he next makes the podium.

 

[Stefan Woudenberg]

It was on the edge for sure, but not over. I am sure the stewards would have penalized him if he did something illegal.

 

[Joel Vischer]

Formula 1 has really been lacking the last years. DRS and KERS made their way into the sport, now ERS. Since then you are seeing passes on the straight with DRS open and people just let everyone go by. For instance in Canada was good to see the difference between Max and the others, Nico goes by Daniel on the final straight because he doesnt do anything to defend his position. Just because another driver has the benefit of having DRS the driver in front can't defend his position? I see everyone calling it "Max blocking Kimi it's so dangerous it's a matter of time before someone gets injured", this is what racing is and if you are fine with people letting each other pass without a fight don't complain when someone does something the others are not willing to do.

I agree with some that Max is driving on the edge sometimes, but are you all seriously that blinded by the past years of boring races? Kimi was complaining over the radio about the moves he made, then he does the same thing some laps later to a force india I believe.

Is he a menace? Yes
Is he a racing genius? Yes
Does he need to tone it down a bit? Sometimes, yeah.
Does he need to keep doing what he's doing? Definitely, you wont make it by being a sitting duck.
Should he have been penalised?No, if anyone should've been penalised it would be vettel in turn 1. Kimi left enough room, verstappen didnt lock up but vettel was heavy on the turn in and bumped kimi into max.
Should Nico have been penalised in Hockenheim? Yes? That wasn't even near to being a good move, identical to what happened in Austria with Lewis, Nico was lucky max didn't turn in early on him otherwise both their races would be over.

FIA doesn't do anything about it because it's all between the lines, the board is made from ex-racers who judge from experience aswell.

I may be biased towards Max, but all the hate that's put on Max right now is also coming from people who are biased towards other drivers that can't get passed him.

 

[MoerasGrizzly]

DRS and KERS made their way into the sport, now ERS.

I can see that people take issue with DRS, but what's wrong with ERS? It's just the same system as the LaFerrari and the Mclaren P1 use.

 

[Joel Vischer]

I can see that people take issue with DRS, but what's wrong with ERS? It's just the same system as the LaFerrari and the Mclaren P1 use.

It's fine, because it gives a possibility to defend against DRS. It's better than KERS in my opinion.