Former F1 driver Martin Brundle sheds light on the past race weekend in his column for ‘Sky Sports’ and concludes that Red Bull and Max Verstappen are quickly becoming favorites for the world title in 2021.
Max Verstappen won four of the first eight races and if it hadn’t been for a tire blowout in Azerbaijan, he probably would have won the last four GPs in a row. The young Dutchman and Red Bull will inevitably end up in a favorite role for the title this year, but according to Martin Brundle they are completely ready.
“The Red Bull has visibly less rear wing, which means less air resistance and higher top speeds,” said Brundle. “At the same time, they also save their tires on longer runs. That is a powerful combination, especially in the hands of Verstappen.”
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has already indicated that his team’s focus is mainly on the 2022 season, while Red Bull is still strongly committed to this season’s car. So far, that appears to be paying off in combination with a strong Honda engine and probably the most important factor, namely Max Verstappen.
“The young Dutchman appears to be in absolutely serene and excellent shape. He is so calm, confident in his own abilities and now also in the speed of his car.”
“He is great in qualifying and completes two laps good enough for pole position on Saturday. He starts well, checks tires and strategy when needed and puts his elbows in wheel-to-wheel fights when needed.”
“Now he only takes risks when it’s time-critical and worthwhile.”
But Brundle also realizes that the season is still long and that Max Verstappen’s lead over Lewis Hamilton is far from comfortable.
“Verstappen has a lead in the championship that corresponds to a second place. With possibly fifteen races to go, that is hardly comfortable,” concludes Brundle.
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