Ex-F1 world champion claims Max Verstappen has no ‘weak aspects’
Max Verstappen has had an amazing season this year, as he has won 14 of the 17 races he started.
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Max Verstappen (Via IMAGO)
Max Verstappen was crowned as the F1 world champion for the third straight time after the sprint race of the Qatar GP. He dominated the 2023 season, winning 14 of the 17 races held and finishing outside the podium once. Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 World Champion, is one of the many who have also praised the Dutchman for his near-perfect run this year.
The Canadian racer, after witnessing the Red Bull driver who in his peak, pointed out that Verstappen has so far hasn’t shown any weaknesses. He is among the many in awe of the Dutch driver’s performances. Ex-drivers and F1 legends have already branded him as one of the all-time greats of the sport, alongside Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher.
Villeneuve claims that Verstappen’s strength is that he has always been mature. The Canadian said, as reported by motorsport.com, “His strength? He was never a child; he was an adult when he was little. Max was made to become a champion.”
He added that Verstappen had inherited the racing passion from his father, Jos Verstappen. Villeneuve believes that Jos being very hard on Max shaped Verstappen to be the racer that he is today. He said, “His dad was very hard on him, and maybe because of this, he has no weak aspects.” Due to Jos’ toughness, he was never really a child, and he was always the most mature racer on the grid.
What does Jacques Villeneuve think about the other racers on the grid?
Besides Verstappen, Villeneuve also applauds the Asturian racer Fernando Alonso. He marked Alonso as his favorite driver on the grid and even coined him a role model for the kids today. He added that Alonso is a racer who is ‘still hungry for success.’
In the same report, he recognizes Spanish racer Carlos Sainz’s performance this season. He said that he likes what Sainz is currently doing on the grid. He also feels that Sainz always keeps improving and acknowledges that there are always tough times for a racer.
Villeneuve also talks about the tough times that Ferrari is currently facing on the grid. He notes that this is ‘not a positive moment’ for Ferrari but adds that it is a ‘part of history.’ And he also claims that the majority of attention is paid to Charles Leclerc in the team instead of Carlos Sainz, whom he has been more impressed by recently.
In case you missed it:
- Ralf Schumacher claims Toto Wolff will tweak team orders at Mercedes following the Qatar GP crash
- Red Bull has reportedly told Sergio Perez that Daniel Ricciardo will replace him if he finishes worse than P2 in the 2023 championship
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Justin P Joy
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