There are great drivers, there are fast drivers and there is Max Verstappen. He has skills that the previous two camps, even if they combined their talents, could not surpass.
Especially when the competition is close. That's according to Giedo van der Garde, who, as a compatriot and colleague on the track, knows his Dutch career intimately. And he says there's no point in betting on anything else...
"When the moment comes again and it's a tough, real fight, you just know that Max is doing well because he has that extra something in him. He won't do himself the favor of failing in the decisive moments, as Lando Norris showed. If Norris wants to be a real challenger, he still has to get very, very strong, especially mentally. Let's just look at 2024, when Norris had a competitive car for much longer than Verstappen. Was he able to take advantage of that? No, because he made a lot of mistakes. That happened because Max simply crushed him in a critical situation... If Norris has his car this year and the team stands behind him as one person and makes fewer mistakes in the decisive moments, he might have a chance at the championship. In any case, I wouldn't bet big money on Max Verstappen..." - said Van der Garde.
Photo: Imago
