'McLaren showing cracks as Verstappen closes in' sees ex-F1 driver
Christian Danner has stated that the McLaren team are showing signs of cracks as Max Verstappen closes in on the Formula 1 title fight.
“Nerves are already on edge.”- Christian Danner
The former Formula 1 driver, speaking via Sports.de, revealed how the signs of nerves were evident in the way McLaren CEO Zak Brown reacted to the Sprint race crash involving Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Danner further described the reaction as completely unnecessary.
“Nerves are already on edge; you can see that in the way Zak Brown got worked up about Nico Hulkenberg – completely unnecessary after the collision in the sprint race."
During the Sprint race, Piastri was involved in a spiralling collision that took out several drivers, including Norris, Hulkenberg and Fernando Alonso. Brown, in his remarks after the crash, described the incident as an ‘amateur hour’ moment from Hulkenberg, before later changing his view on the matter.
Danner on Verstappen's title chance
Danner also touched on the possibility of Verstappen winning the 2025 Drivers’ Championship. The 67-year-old revealed that he had never ruled out the Dutch driver from the title fight, despite his early-season struggles.
The former driver concluded by stressing the exceptional class of the four-time world champion.
"He was practically written off by many in the press. The general sentiment was: If he doesn't have the best car, he won't win. I've always resisted that, because Max Verstappen is and remains exceptional, top-class."
The 2025 Drivers’ Championship race remains finely poised, with Verstappen currently 40 points behind Piastri, with five races and two sprints left on the calendar.
Read also
GPblog paddock update
Stay on top of the action and never miss a moment from the ever-buzzing world of Formula 1. Follow and subscribe to our channels on YouTube and Spotify to get the latest news and scoops from the F1 circle.
Check out the latest episode of our paddock update here 👇
Popular on GPBlog
Did Red Bull copy McLaren? Stella responds to rivals’ performance gain
Hulkenberg lauds Verstappen in powerful F1 ruler claim
Mekies confident: 'McLaren no longer hold the advantage they once had'
