[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Mate . Are you aware that MAX was just a 17 YO boy in a F1 car ?
BTW : That was a new F1 Record and also a new Guinness World Record as the youngest F1 driver ever and the youngest F1 race winner ever in the F1 history (!)

In his first season , I agree . But in the next season he beated RIC in no time (!)
That's why RIC moved to Renault and later to Mclaren where he lost it completely and was beaten in every race by Lando Norris .

As you can see..

...and that's what I call a watch on MAX's wrist, not these small skinny square ones that cost an arm and a leg.

[CMW33]

I DO think there could be some buyer's remorse on Max's part because if I remember correctly, his new contract was signed before the issues with the RB20 became apparent. Maybe it was known internally, I don't know, and yes it may be a blip that goes away next week or maybe next year. But RBR sort of losing its understanding of the car, plus Wheatley leaving, GP moving to a different role, Checo kind of turning into a boat anchor, etc. Maybe it adds up. Basically no different than Lewis's concerns Mercedes had lost its way.

[dfox]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

And in your mind, Lando being absolute dog crap against his peers, and still getting gapped by his very mediocre teammate means him just magically improved.

Your overall logic doesn't make sense. Following your logic, since Lando beat Ricciardo, and Ricciardo beat Max, therefore Lando beats Max.


Drivers skill varies from circuit to circuit, from year to year, it goes up and down across their career. It's not stagnant, ever. Sometimes they wake up on the wrong side of the bed and suck that day. These are just people, like you and I. At the end of the day, Lando is #2 in the WDC right now. Not Piastri. Not Hamilton.

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by CMW33

MSN is like 3 months late to the party

Same content appeared on most of the F1 sites this morning, for example:

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...ed-bull-action

[CMW33]

Originally Posted by jkoral

Same content appeared on most of the F1 sites this morning, for example:

https://www.planetf1.com/news/max-ve...ed-bull-action

Fair enough but honestly, PlanetF1 is more of a rumor mongering, click-bait, how-many-ads-can-i-show-you site to me. Curious for what others here read but the serious ones I can think of are motorsport.com, crash.net, and the-race.com.

[jkoral]

Originally Posted by CMW33

Fair enough but honestly, PlanetF1 is more of a rumor mongering, click-bait, how-many-ads-can-i-show-you site to me.

Both articles quoting a report by Swiss-German publication Blick -- so definitely rumors.

[Artemis]

TL;DR: Verstappen won't be donning a Mercedes or Ferrari F1 suit before 2026 + given his twenty something age, he can afford a WDC title hiatus in 2024 and 2025.

Don't believe the hype and spinning. Verstappen will remain at RBR in 2025. Toto Wolff had him on his radar for 2025 for the seat vacated by Hamilton, talks were held this Summer but no deal materialized. Moving on, business as usual.

2026 introducing new regulations and RBR cars no longer sporting Honda engines, may be a different story. If Verstappen is not satisfied about the new car and engine and if Mercedes or Ferrari offer him a seat, he will be at Mercedes or Ferrari in 2026.

Not winning the WDC title this year and in 2025 should be no major obstacle for Verstappen.

Compare with Hamilton: Hamilton got his first WDC title in 2008 (P1 - McLaren) at the age of 23. Subsequently, a 5-year WDC title hiatus, without podium in the final WDC title standings: he ended P4 and P5 the next five seasons after his 2008 WDC title (2009: P5 (McLaren) | 2010: P4 (McLaren) | 2011: P5 (McLaren) | 2012: P4 (McLaren) and 2013 P4 (Mercedes)). He got his second WDC title in 2014 (P1 - Mercedes) at the age of 29 racing the Mercedes rocket that would dominate F1 for years on end from 2014 onwards.

Verstappen is currently 26 and already got 3 WDC titles (2021 - 2022 - 2023). His chances for a 4th WDC title this year are threatened by the improved McLaren cars, but mathematically it's definitely still possible (62 WDC points lead). 8 GP races, 3 Sprint races (Austin, São Paolo and Lusail) and 8 Fastest Lap points are up for grabs. Any 'no points' GP finish for either Norris or Verstappen could be crucial.

Verstappen has time on his side and, although always determined to win, he can handle a possible 2024 and 2025 WDC title hiatus. But I trust that he definitely wants to be back on WDC title track course in 2026 with either RBR, Mercedes or Ferrari.

I can see him racing in other car series by his mid thirties. And for sure someday he will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, maybe with Nyck de Vries as team mate (Helmut Marko won it in 1971 with a Martini-Porsche 917K - he will also give a shot at it).

It's not only all about the car you have - also what you can do with it matters. Of the whole F1 grid, Hamilton and Verstappen have the best skills to make optimal use of the cars they're given (both in terms of set-up and racing). Get them a slow horse and they may still win against a fast horse with a lesser skilled rider. Get them a donkey and they are no competition for a fast horse with a lesser skilled rider.