Max Verstappen’s two-year mistake-free streak has garnered admiration from unlikely quarters.
While Ferrari’s Team Principal, Frédéric Vasseur, may have once had the luxury of observing Verstappen from a distance, his current mission is to dethrone the Red Bull champion.
Vasseur, who is no stranger to the intricacies of Formula 1, emphasised that Verstappen’s consistency sets him apart.
He pointed out that the Red Bull driver has not made a single mistake in two years, a feat that demands respect even in the high-speed world of Formula 1.
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Vasseur remarked, “What is impressive is that, for sure, [Red Bull] always had mega pace…
“But I think the most impressive for me is that Max, it’s not just about the last 10 races, but it’s about the last two years.
“I would say that he [has done] a single mistake.
“For sure, it’s easier to not do mistakes when you have margin on the others and so on.
“But even in this kind of circumstances, he is able to manage the situation very well.”
Verstappen’s remarkable consistency is evident in his performance across diverse tracks, from the high-speed Monza to the tight confines of Monaco.
Red Bull’s consistent competitiveness throughout the season has also caught Vasseur’s attention.
“From Monza to Monaco, you can cover all the aspects of the track – they were performant and this is impressive,” Vasseur noted.
While Verstappen is on the cusp of a potential championship title, he recognises the collective effort behind Red Bull’s success.
He acknowledged the team’s high-performance levels, which had existed for several seasons, but attributed their current dominance to having a competitive car.
Verstappen reflected, “I think we always had quite high-level performance as a team, but we just didn’t have that good of a car, I think, up until this year.
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“Of course, you know, last year already the car was very good.
“But the years before we were close, winning here and there and not fighting for the Constructors’, but yeah, I think everything really came together.
“We understood this new regulation really well and when you have the good people also in every single position, you can achieve something like you’re witnessing right now.”