High praise for Verstappen's 'masterpiece', criticism of Hamilton for 'rookie' mistake
In the aftermath of the Dutch GP, Gian Carlo Minardi heaped praise on Max Verstappen, describing the Dutchman performance as a “masterpiece.” Lewis Hamilton, by contrast, came under heavy criticism following his DNF at Zandvoort.
Starting from P3 behind Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, Verstappen ultimately secured second place—a result aided by Norris’ late exit. Yet the Dutchman’s race could easily have ended in the opening lap, after a dramatic moment in which he narrowly avoided losing control of his Red Bull.
Afterward, he received a lot of praise from Minardi: ''Despite the premises for a possible anomalous grand prix, we saw a lively race marked by three safety-cars, and with many surprises, starting with Piastri’s excellent start and Verstappen’s masterpiece in managing the car that was about to get out of control,'' the Italian reflected on his website about the Dutch Grand Prix.
Fight between Norris and Piastri not over yet
The former team owner pointed out that Lando Norris’ late retirement cost him a hefty haul of points, while stressing that Oscar Piastri’s championship lead would have grown considerably had Norris seen the chequered flag.
''It is an important result in the battle for the title between the two McLaren drivers, which remains open anyway as we have nine intense races ahead, also considering the possible penalties for the replacement of components, or reliability issues, as we saw today.''
'Rookie Mistake' by Hamilton
He also commented on Ferrari’s double retirement in Zandvoort, which saw the Scuderia squander a valuable points opportunity in the battle with Mercedes for second place in the Constructors’ Championship. As a result, their advantage over the Silver Arrows has been significantly reduced.
''It was a rookie mistake by Hamilton. After showing signs of recovery during free practice, he was behind Leclerc in qualifying to then drop out from the race.''
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