Because of boredom! With his Parforcerite at the last Formula 1 race in Japan, Max Verstappen shocked the superior competition of McLaren. There is talk of the “max factor”, which neutralizes the material inequality of the premier class. But what does that actually mean? Attempt to approach.
When McLaren dominated the Formula 1 as current, it was in 1998 and in the cockpit of the traditional racing team, Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard were two familiar experts. The two drove to the competition in Australia and Brazil so much around the ears that many fans and observers only asked which McLaren driver would end up world champion.
Michael Schumacher powdered this question in the third race. On the treacherous slopes of Buenos Aires, the Red Baron in Ferrari struck back with one of its glam -scale against the silver arrows. The World Cup only decided at the season finale in Japan after a heartbeat final in favor of Häkkinens.
In 2025, some already sensed the formula boredom after the first Grands Prix in Australia and China. Lando Norris and Oscar Piatri did not have the competition in their McLaren-Papayas under control as iron as the “Flying Finn” and “DC” 27 years ago-but still firmly firm.
The driver’s World Cup is before the fourth race of the season in Bahrain (Qualifying on Saturday live on RTL+) Still the closest of all boxes. A measly dot is Norris despite a material advantage in front of defending champion Max Verstappen in the moody Red Bull. And that because the Dutch conjured up a unique performance from the hat again during the last weekend in GP.
In qualifying, Verstappen snapped the pole position with a dream round. The limit danced again after the world champion’s pipe. On Sunday Verstappen in the land of the rising sun defended its place in the light, raced “with 53 qualifying rounds” (says Bullen-Boss Helmut Marko) for the first win of the season.
Max Verstappen “at the push of a button” world class
While the competition king the sun in awe-like tribute, Marko cheered on the “Max Factor”, who had made the difference again. After that, everyone was talking about the word. But what is actually behind it? X Equals Max-How can this Formula 1 factor equation be blown up?
“His performance is always optimal. He masters what champions dominate: at the push of a button both physically and mentally to call up everything. That makes him extraordinary,” says chief consultant Marko in conversation with RTL/NTV and Sport.de on a definition. The 27-year-old does not need a warm-up phase on the route, can “squeeze everything out of the car, even if it is inferior”.
The most important plus is “his nerve strength,” emphasizes Marko: “If it is necessary, he brings everything to the point and pops a round that you need at this point. He never throws a round because he does not have his nerves under control like other drivers, he increases every time.”
Or as Christian Danner puts it: “Verstappen has the ability to go together something that does not succeed in others.” The RTL-Expert specifies the driving skills of the Dutch. The Max factor is ultimately an outstanding “operation of the control elements steering wheel, brake pedal and accelerator pedal,” explains the former Formula 1 pilot. And this condition elements can simply use Verstappen like no other-in such a way “that it moves in the maximum power range of the car”.
Verstappen is able to “adapt his driving style to what the car does in a very small window-a basic performance without which nothing works, provided”, says Danner. For example: “When brutal not just climbing into the iron and steering the crucial crowd, but controlling the car so that it is steering – the steering wheel movement and the foot on the brake pedal in a harmony – and the rear does not break out.”
“He is the greatest of his time – on a level with Senna, Schumacher and Hamilton”
Whoever brakes properly wins. If you really accelerate, of course. “Exactly the same applies to driving out of a curve,” explains Danner: “Do not push wildly on the gas. Use the pedal in such a way that opening the steering in a way that the car is doing what you want: to speed up without being crossed.”
Driving in such a way is the “very fine line”. In Suzuka Verstappen found such a god track and drove in the usual manner. “But that doesn’t always work,” the RTL commentator points out. “You can see that he had problems with the Red Bull in qualifying and also in the race last year.”
Max factor or not, an exceptional position has long since taken Verstappen in the PS circus. “He is the greatest of his time – on a level with Senna, Prost, Schumacher and Hamilton,” says Marko. Danner agrees without hesitation. “There are always only one that shapes its generation at certain intervals. This is verstapped, he shapes his era.”
And because this is the case, Verstappen in Formula 1 is also open to all doors-whether in 2025 he will arrive against the McLaren dominance and or not his fifth title in series. “He now has Unlimited Access,” emphasizes Danner: “What he wants, he gets, now and in the future. If he says tomorrow I would like to drive Ferrari, I would not be sure which Ferrari man flies-Leclerc or Hamilton-but one flies 100 pro.”
Verstappen “awesome, but not lazy”
Red Bull is required. If the racing team does not manage to push the World Cup-worthy material under his butt, “he looks at where he gets it,” suggested Marko sport.de recently. It is an open secret that the four-time champion has corresponding performance clauses in its contract, which is running until 2028, which enables him to leave prematurely. Aston Martin with a billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll and design guru Adrian Newey is always traded as a jetty.
“If he says tomorrow I want to go to Aston Martin, then send the Alonso to retire or say Lance Stroll, he should take a year break. When Verstappen calls Toto Wolff and Mercedes tomorrow, the same applies – all impossible is open to him,” emphasizes Danner.
This is a fairly comfortable position, from the Max Verstappen, which attacks supposedly unbeatable McLaren pilots this season. There is also an apparently perfect “work-life balance”.
Verstappen and partner Kelly Piquet will soon be expecting their first child together. The fact that Verstappen loses the notorious “daddy-tenth”-no one should bet on that, says Marko. The success does not just fly to his protegé like golden pigeons. “He is awesome, but not lazy.”
Verstappen is one “like Picasso”, enthuses the eminence of the bulls. “He loves beautiful and elegant and he has this ingenious.” The Max factor – maybe it is actually most likely to be grasped with bonds from the art world.