Wolff: Verstappen will be a future world champion
- Published on 15 Nov 2018 12:37
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- By: Matthew Gretton
Verstappen has the opportunity to move into fourth in Abu Dhabi next weekend if he outscores Valtteri Bottas by four points. Next season, Red Bull will partner with Honda engines, a relationship which Helmut Marko expects to win titles.
Wolff also expects Verstappen to become a world champion once he gains more experience in Formula 1. He says in a few years he'll be able to look at the Esteban Ocon incident and decide for himself for himself if it was the right thing to do.
"In Max, you can see there is a future world champion coming together. Unbelievable talent and speed. I think once the raw edges are off, he will be somebody that would be a champion one day. Wolff said after his Mercedes team won the constructor's championship.
“In a few years, he would look at the [race] footage and maybe have his own opinion on whether that was the right behaviour or not. But you cannot accelerate these things. This is a learning process."
Wolff went on to explain why Hamilton didn't fight with Verstappen in the recent races. He claims they were more concerned about Ferrari and would have lost race time when the pair were fighting.
"When Max appeared like a missile behind him, it was clear that he wouldn't fight him unnecessarily to lose race time, but trying to make it to the end of the medium tyre," Wolff added. "So it is totally irrelevant from Mercedes side who would have won. The objective was to stay in front of the Ferraris."
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Replies (6)
Login to replyRam Samartha
Posts: 1,172
Paraphrase: Yeah, he's a spoiled brat and maybe someday when/if he grows up, he's got the potential to be a world champion.
boudy
Posts: 1,168
Nope. He's ready already. I thought he was pretty restrained after being punted of the lead.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
If he was retstrained there, then Im restrained when Im fuming over what Toto actually DID(!) to Bottas... Okay most of that is actually me exaggerating for comical reasons and to get the point through, but the point stands.
boudy
Posts: 1,168
@CALLE
Indeed what is pretty clear to me is that Mercedes are ruthless with their decisions to make their lead driver champion no matter what the price is for other drivers. This does not only happen in F1 but also in other series.
The whole Ocon crashing into the lead leaves a very bad taste because of the Mercedes relationship, he wouldn't have put a move on Hamilton like that so why did he on Verstappen? Could you imagine an lapped Toro Rosso crashing into Hamilton to give Verstappen the lead?
The argument about Verstappen having more too lose is flawed since it means that you should treat lapped drivers differently depending on the team they drive for. The unlapping is the reverse of being lapped and as such an unlapping driver should not take extra risk towards the lead driver. Ocon deserved more than a 10 second and he knows it, his inability to give apologies and admit fault will not serve him.
The fact that Mercedes and Hamilton gained through they Ocon intervention did not pass me by. The fact that Mercedes are unrestricted in their desire for certain drivers did not neither. Mercedes will do anything including destroying Bottas to aid Hamilton.
sadosalo
Posts: 198
RAM SAMARTHA please, he's already the best driver and without him F1 its a boring procession week in week out, Hamilton happy from pole (best car best engine) Bottas behind blocking the rest, killing everybodys tires and Lewis so happy its boring, boring!
Yes he is young and raw man what a delight to watch, but if you enjoy a F1 race as usual to follow the leader and nothing happens be my guest, just not me.
michielhimself
Posts: 132
Hamilton happy from pole (second best car best engine) #fixedthatforyou ;-)