Mercedes currently have the fastest car in Formula 1, but Max Verstappen’s sheer pace has been enough for him to make the Red Bull RB16B look more competitive.
That’s according to Dutch racing driver Tom Coronel, who has heaped praise onto Verstappen and said he believes he’s “ready” to win a World Championship.
“The man could have really done it, but the car has to be able to do it as well,” Coronel said this week.
“Now you see that the competition with the car is just there. Actually I think the Mercedes is the faster car, so it is Max who makes the difference. Just look at [Sergio] Perez, he’s still not getting there.”
Asked if he believes Red Bull’s success this year is due to them having a quick car or solely Verstappen’s talent, Coronel said it’s a mixture of the two.
“It’s a combination. You can see that Max feels and smells championship opportunities.
“Then you see that he really makes that step. How he drives, how smart he is and the calm he has. He’s ready for it and it should be able to work,” he concluded.
Verstappen is currently eight points behind Sir Lewis Hamilton, with the seven-time World Champion benefitting from two miserable weekends for the Dutch ace at Silverstone and Hungary to retake his position at the top of the Drivers’ Standings.
As for how things are shaping up in the Constructors’ Championship, Red Bull have a 12-point deficit to Mercedes.