Martin Brundle fears that Max Verstappen as a sportsman could suffer a similarly damaged image as Michael Schumacher if he continues to drive as aggressively as in the past.
The “Sky” expert, who used to drive against Max’s father Jos, explained this before the start of the 2022 Formula 1 season.
Brundle cites the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as an example. Verstappen continued with the knife between his teeth – knowing that a collision would have less dramatic consequences for him than for Lewis Hamilton. And by that, Brundle doesn’t even mean the bizarre crash that many remember from the race, but rather the duels that preceded it.
“He and his team didn’t like it when I said that, but Saudi was a little over driving,” says the “Sky” expert. “I’m only saying that because Max is so good and doesn’t have to. Because the way people are talking about Michael today is regrettable. And I don’t want that with Max.”
“Every time you think of Michael, you think about his misconduct and that’s such a shame. Also Ayrton Senna, who landed on my head in Formula 3. There were all kinds of situations. And that’s such a shame, because these guys are so good that they really shouldn’t have the slightest doubt about their reputation.”
Brundle clarifies: Verstappen much more talented than I ever was!
“Max,” Brundle clarifies, “has more talent in his little finger than I’ve ever had. To see his car control is really extraordinary. And I think the others have to adapt to his driving style. That’s how he interprets racing. And I don’t think Max intends to do anything about it.”
What Brundle thinks: As a seven-time world champion, Schumacher is one of the most successful Formula 1 drivers of all time, but incidents like Jerez in 1997 or Monte Carlo in 2006 hang like a shadow over his career. The same goes for Senna, who is idolized by many like a myth, but took his luck into his own hands, for example in Suzuka in 1990.
Gerhard Berger takes a slightly more relaxed view of the subject than Brundle. He doesn’t think Verstappen is in danger of getting a Schumacher image; but for him it is easy to imagine that at some point he will be more attached to a Senna image, and he had an image as “the most aggressive, but also the best racing driver”.
Senna, Berger remembers his former teammates at McLaren, was “always beyond good and evil” when it came to his aggressiveness on the track. Unlike Schumacher, however, he always met his competitors in a “very sporty” manner, says Berger.
Will Hamilton act harder in 2022 than in 2021?
Brundle is curious to see whether Hamilton – similar to some situations in 2021 – will allow Verstappen’s high level of aggressiveness and, if in doubt, give way: “I remember Barcelona when Max attacked in the first corner, but Lewis won the race. Lewis knows exactly what the odds are and how to win a World Cup.”
“Barcelona was a good example. Lewis knew: ‘I represent 1,000 employees at home in the factory. I can’t retire in the first turn.’ And he won the race. In hindsight, if he had let Max come into contact, that would have been the wrong decision.”
“Or let’s take Abu Dhabi. Max’s attack at turn 6 on the first lap was brilliant. He kept control and stayed inside the white lines. But Lewis kept his foot on the gas and preferred to go straight. ‘If you play it that way, then I play keep it that way, friend!’ I can imagine that we’ll see something like that from Lewis more often now.”
“Didn’t Lewis admit a year or two ago that he drives differently than usual when he has Max behind him? It was the same with us with Ayrton,” says Brundle. “Ayrton coldly pushed the car next to you – and the decision whether it crashed or not was up to you. This psychology is very powerful. And that’s exactly what Max does.”