"World Championship battle? I would only bet on Verstappen!"

There are great drivers, there are fast drivers, and then there is Max Verstappen. The latter has skills that the previous two camps, even when combining their talents, cannot surpass.

Especially when the competition is fierce. This is what Giedo van der Garde says, who knows the Dutch driver's career closely as a compatriot and fellow racer. And he says it's not worth betting on anyone else...

"When the moment comes again, and there is a tough, real battle, you simply know that the flag is flying for Max because he has that extra. He will not do you the favor of making mistakes in crucial moments, as Lando Norris demonstrated. If the latter wants to be a real challenger, he still has to strengthen a lot, especially mentally. Let's just look at 2024, when Norris had a competitive car for much longer than Verstappen did. Did he take advantage of it? No, because he made a lot of mistakes. All of this happened because Max simply crushed him in sharp situations... If Norris has his car this year and the team stands behind him as one, and makes fewer mistakes in critical moments, then he might have a chance at the championship title. In any case, I wouldn't bet a larger amount against Max Verstappen..." - said Van der Garde.

Photo: Imago