Verstappen told the 'not even readable' talent he has that makes him stand out

07:42, 01 Aug

Updated: 07:44, 01 Aug

byLuke-John Buckle

Max Verstappen has become one of the best drivers on the grid, and the Dutchman has caught the eye over his F1 career with spectacular bravery and car control.

The four-time world champion has dominated his teammates at Red Bull in recent years, particularly since Daniel Ricciardo left the team at the end of 2018.

Verstappen has comprehensively beaten some very good Formula 1 drivers, including Pierre Gasly and Sergio Perez, who have both won at the highest level of motorsport. He has a natural talent that makes Verstappen very tough to beat.

The reigning world champion has been able to maximise the car he has been given on numerous occasions despite having inferior machinery to some other drivers.

Peter Windsor explained on his YouTube channel what may allow Verstappen to be a step above most of the field, and it's a talent Charles Leclerc shares.

He said: "It's almost that thinking process, thought process. And that glibly passes over the unbelievably difficult thing of getting to the rotation point when you are braking with cornering load on the car and keeping things as stable as you can possibly keep them within the realms of all the dynamic weight shifting of the car by manipulating the throttle against the brakes, against the steering.

"Tiny, tiny adjustments, some of which are not even readable on telemetry. And that is what Max and Charles do really, really well."

Windsor feels other drivers need to watch Verstappen on the track

Verstappen has become a very complete driver and makes a lot fewer errors than earlier in his career in Formula 1.

The Red Bull driver has a particular talent in wet conditions and the ability to manage a sharp front axle, which helps him to maximise the car more than Verstappen's teammates.

Windsor feels other drivers will never truly understand why they are behind Verstappen from the telemetry and need to watch the Dutchman on the track.

He said: "It's never exactly the same. It's never exactly the same. With initial steering input, it's never exactly the same. That's why warning the car, as Rob Wilson always says, warning the car with the tiniest of movement is so critical, it just settles everything in the car before you then give it the substance of what you want to do with your hands or your feet.

"And that is, that's God given definitely, because you can't look at traces. That's why a Sergio Perez or a Yuki Tsunoda or Liam Lawson trying to work out why they're slower than Max. Looking at Max's telemetry, they'll never get an answer from that. The best they can do is not even follow him.

"The best they can do is actually go out on the track and watch him and listen to his power. That's about the only thing he can do. And they never do that."