Verstappen - top overtaker 2015

Isn't Seb signed thru 2018? Kimi thru the end of next year?

Maybe, and it's a huge maybe, he'll continue to excel next year and they'll offer him Kimi's seat, but he's still damn young IMO. Or wait and see how he shakes out until Seb is done; there's no hurry.

History tells us both the Old Man & indeed LdM were 'wary' of young hot shots, and rightly so IMO; more have failed than succeeded over the years. There's plenty of time to sign him if he continues to develop, but I, personally of course, don't think he's yet ready for the spotlight at Ferrari.

Cheers,
Ian

 

I really liked Alesi but I never got the same sort of "Villeneuve vibe" that I get with Mad Max (even Schuey didn't give Me the "Villeneuve vibe" - He was more like Senna "the next level" to Me.)

When David Coulthard was talking to Max in one interview about an overtake on Marcus Ericsson he said: "Ericsson must have seen you in his mirrors and thought: 'Oh God it's Mad Max coming at Me!' ", to which Max pondered and then said: "Mad Max? - I like that!" and then smiled.

I agree that we need to see how Max gets on in 2016 to form a better opinion of his talents, but so far he looks pretty damn good to Me!

And let's not forget, throughout his first season in F1 he was only 17 years old!

He basically matched his team mate who is 4 years older than he is and held his own in races against much older, more experienced drivers - That takes talent!

 

OHHH, i did, Jean was the only one for me who ever got "close" to Villeneuve antics....his 1990 season with the Tyrrel was probably the best i ever saw by an almost rookie....Phoenix, Monaco, Monza (3 laps only i guiess, lolo) were really out of this world..

 

Doesn't winning this category just mean that the Driver doesn't qualify well?

 

I haven't checked, but didn't he out-qualy Sainz pretty handily this past year? I know he scored a *bunch* more points - I just checked - 49 to 18.

Nevertheless, you raise an interesting point.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Not qualifying very well isn't always the drivers fault. (Just ask Sebastian Vettel about his qualifying throughout 2015! )

What winning this category does show is that the driver makes an effort in races, even if they haven't qualified well.

 

I think Sainz actually edged him in the final race, so 10-9 in quali.

 

OK, thanks.

Yet seems nobody's talking about "Sainz to Ferrari" anymore.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Verstappen did have 5 issues in quali when Sainz did not (unsure how many it was vice versa, however).

Their quali speed is close to each other, but on Sunday's Max often has the upper hand.

 

Sainz had a very good first season but it got completely overlooked due to the amount of attention focussed on Max.

Again though it has to be remembered that Sainz has the best part of 4 years more experience than Max so the attention was understandable (whilst he could drive a 230mph race car round the World, back home he couldn't even legally drive on the public roads!).

To be fair to Sainz, he didn't get into any hissy-fits or histrionics about the situation, he just quietly got on with the job at hand, did his best and had a very decent season.

Sainz has the makings of a very good F1 driver.
Max has the makings of an exceptional F1 driver!

 

And maybe that is why Ferrari had a quarter of a century championship dry spell.

Age has nothing to do with talent. You either have driving talent or you don't. Schumacher was what 25 when he first won, Alonso 24, Hamilton 23, Vettel 23. 9 of the last 10 years the champion has been in their 20s. So bring on Max, let's see if he can become the newest youngest champion.

 

According to Blick's Benoit Verstappen is likely to replace Kimi in 2017. There is even talks of a signed pre-contract.

Verstappen rocks, so I'm all for it. He is the real deal.

 

So, it looks like all the best Red Bull drivers would be heading for Ferrari.

I wonder what Mateschitz says about that!

 

Not much he can say until he gets a better engine for the RBs

 

They were discussing Max's future on the BBC F1 coverage during one of the last couple of races of the season and Eddie Jordan mentioned that he'd heard form good sources that both Mercedes and Ferrari had been making inquiries about Max.

He said that one of his sources had said Mercedes had already missed out and Max was heading to Maranello in 2017 to replace Kimi and that a letter of intent had already been signed.

When asked how reliable that information was, he replied: "About as reliable as any other in F1 , but you know me, there's always an element of truth in all the rumours I hear!"

 

Ha, glad to hear that.

 

I was at Phoenix and his performance there made me a believer--not intimidated one whit by Senna. I still don't know how Jean maintains his phenomenal car control with his hands high on the wheel?

 

Verstappen hits out at penalty points system

Verstappen hits out at penalty points system - PlanetF1 : PlanetF1



“They should come up with a fine or whatever. That is also painful but it’s different than a race ban, because it’s really bad for you career if you get a race ban.” [sic]

Well, he would say that, wouldn’t he ?

 

Yeah, but they forget why they get penalty points in the first place.

Some drivers confuse F1 with a rodeo ...

And why is it always the same drivers that get the stewards' attention? Have you seen Button, Vettel, Ricciardo, and some others being reported for dubious antics on the track? No.

 

That's why they have introduced new rules and stewards to stop "edgy moves" !

 

I think Max is the younger brother that Ralf Schumacher SHOULD have been