How different could Max Verstappen’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix yesterday have gone if he had had a teammate who could put pressure on Lewis Hamilton? Father Jos Verstappen asks himself and is not satisfied with the back support that son Max is currently receiving, but has an idea who could provide it.
Verstappen immediately passed Lewis Hamilton from third on the grid and then drove for a long lap in the Mercedes sandwich. Leader Valtteri Bottas had damage at that moment but was fast enough to leave Verstappen behind, it turned out to be a matter of waiting for Verstappen to stop for Lewis Hamilton. He tried to surprise Bottas with an undercut, but failed, the Finn came in one lap later and stayed ahead of Verstappen.
Hamilton meanwhile pushed hard and, also helped by a Virtual Safety Car, came on the track well before the two after his stop. Well, Verstappen eventually retired due to a blowout but had a good one until then wingman can use, father Jos also thinks. “At the moment I don’t think it’s going well enough, Max needs a strong teammate,” says the former driver in the Ziggo program Peptalk. “Then this race would have gone differently. If that teammate had been behind Hamilton, he could have come in earlier, so Hamilton would have had to come in too. Then the cards would have been shuffled differently. ”
Also read: Szafnauer: ‘Hülkenberg and Pérez good enough to ride next to Verstappen’
Senior has an idea
It has been speculating in the paddock for weeks, Alex Albon does not seem to comply with the ultimatum that has been given to him by the team management. Albon also had a messy weekend at Imola and spun in the final phase while there seemed to be quite a few points up for grabs. He therefore finished the race in 15th and last place. Horner has already indicated that if Albon does not make it, Red Bull will look outside its own talent pool. In other words, Nico Hülkenberg and Sergio Perez are the main candidates according to the tam-tam.
“It is important that there is a very good teammate next to Max”, says Verstappen senior. “We all know that it is between Albon, Perez and Hülkenberg, it will be one of those three.” If Verstappen himself has a preference, he is asked: “I have the same preference as Max!”. Hülkenberg in other words.
Also read: Verstappen: ‘Hülkenberg would be a good teammate’
Hülkenberg and Verstappen.
