Tom Clarkson: “Verstappen will have to maximize his results”

After three weeks of interruption, Formula 1 is back for the Dutch Grand Prix. On home soil, the Dutch driver hopes to return to victory after four consecutive unsuccessful races, his longest streak since 2020, including the last two where he didn’t even manage to get a podium. This difficult situation is starting to frustrate Max Verstappen, a frustration that has been particularly evident in recent Grand Prix races.

« Do I not have the right to be frustrated by tapping on my steering wheel? My position is also why I am frustrated. I had hoped that evolution would bring us more. I now know that this way, there will be 11 more long races.
» he notably declared at the end of the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he finished in a disappointing fifth place, a result of poor strategic decisions and piloting errors.

With a 78-point lead over Lando Norris, the Dutchman still has a lot of margin. However, the McLaren seems to be the fastest car today and a series of poor results from the Dutch driver could quickly reverse the trend, especially since Red Bull is struggling to fight for victory as the former Toro Rosso driver has not won since the Spanish Grand Prix two months ago.

For some observers, Verstappen will be able to secure the title under one condition: regaining his champion’s attitude by keeping calm regardless of the circumstances. He will have to accept less convincing results and avoid mistakes, unlike his British rival, McLaren having already lost valuable points this season due to poor strategic decisions.

« I think that Max, when he returns, will have to realize that he will not win all the races in the second half of this season. He must maximize the percentages. He will have to accept fifth places when that is all the car can offer him, instead of trying to force something that could lead to an accident with another car or result in a spin or another problem. When the performance is not there, he will have to settle for what is possible,” explained journalist Tom Clarkson. According to him, the Dutchman has every chance of winning the championship if he manages to stay consistent, even on circuits less favorable to the RB20, by collecting all possible points compared to what the car is capable of doing.

« It could well be the case when we go to Singapore, of course, this circuit highlighted the weaknesses of the car last year. If it’s the same case this year, he’ll just have to show up and get what’s possible. Max must get the most out of every race. If he does that, he will win the world championship in my opinion » he added.

The Dutch driver will have to demonstrate his experience and maturity in the face of a less accustomed Lando Norris to managing this kind of pressure. For the 1996 world champion Damon Hill, the battle promises to be intense, and every point scored by Verstappen will be crucial until the end of the season.

« I think he will really have to fight for this championship. So, whether Red Bull manages to provide him with a bit more speed through car development or not, I’m sure they can, but he will still be chased until the end. » The Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort will already give us a first indication of the performance gap between the two cars.

If Red Bull manages to solve its problems during the summer break, the title should not escape Verstappen. However, the 2024 season has already reserved its share of surprises, with teams like Mercedes suddenly coming back into the spotlight, while others, like the Milton Keynes team, seem to be losing ground. Therefore, if the situation does not improve for the Austrian team, the end of the season could be difficult, with the threat of losing both world titles, making this second half of the season particularly captivating.