In an exclusive column following each Grand Prix, racer Jeroen Bleekemolen shares his insights on the past race weekend. Who or what caught his eye, what went well, and what needs to change? This time, he discusses the intelligence of Max Verstappen and how his performance in Austin has tipped the title race in his favor.
We’ve always said that the title race between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris could get exciting. And of course, in theory, it still can. But for me, the United States Grand Prix is a turning point. Max has tipped the title race in his favor, pulling the championship back towards him. Not only because of the results, but also because of the way he drove.
Max winning the sprint race on Saturday is a great achievement and very impressive. That he didn’t win the race on Sunday is not a problem. On the contrary, the fact that he made it to the podium by staying ahead of Norris is impressive. The result speaks for itself: he has finally managed to extend his lead: from 52 to 57. And that’s exactly what was needed, as he himself often said: “If only I can finish ahead of Lando again, instead of behind him”. And that’s exactly what happened: very impressive.
Red Bull’s Superior Performance and Max’s Mastery
Red Bull has their act together much better. More importantly, Max Verstappen extracts so much from the car and knows exactly what’s going well and what’s not. When things were going well a while ago, he already indicated that it was declining. And when it was still going badly, he already saw the progress. He has a sense for this, which is characteristic of a champion.
Max’s Tactical Brilliance in Battle
Speaking of which, he is also smart during a battle with Norris. You can clearly see that Max knows exactly where the limit is. He seeks it out and knows the rules. Mind you, as a driver, I prefer no penalties at all, I’d rather see you, so to speak, allowed to drive each other’s mirrors off. But with the rules as they are, well, then you get this. And Max knew exactly how it works, while McLaren made a mistake and didn’t give back the spot.
The Psychological Impact on Norris
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a mental blow for Norris, he has lost points instead of catching up on Max. And as mentioned, a lot can still happen in the next five races, there are also two sprint races. But I’ll say it again: as far as I’m concerned, Max is ‘simply’ going to be the champion.
The Rapid Changes in Formula 1
Just goes to show how quickly things can change in Formula 1. Because Ferrari was fantastic on Sunday in the Grand Prix, the team is suddenly very close in the fight for the constructor’s title due to such a 1-2 finish. So, the battle among the teams may become even more exciting in the coming time than among the drivers…
