Usually I try to select a variety of drivers for my star driver, however, after seeing the race in Japan, it became obvious that Max Verstappen was (once again) the most deserving of the recognition. The first reason for this, similarly to the Singapore Grand Prix, is the quality of his passing manoeuvres. It cannot be denied that the 17-year-old has incredible skill. I believe that the incredible overtaking performed by the Toro Rosso pilot is one of the biggest contributors to his masterful finish.
With no fear of going flat out around a corner, the youngster recognises the limitations and pushes them. This is the key ingredient to his fearless passing. This faultless skill is something he may have picked up from his hours of simulator use or game playing. One thing is certain and it’s that his overtaking is the base of his success.
The young Dutchman didn’t qualifying terribly well on Saturday, scraping a 17th place start on the grid. During the race, Verstappen made up an unbelievable eight places, finishing in ninth place, just one place ahead of his older teammate, Carlos Sainz Jr. who took the last point in tenth.
The young driver continues to defy expectations, pushing all boundaries. Verstappen has proved he has the pace required to be a regular point scoring driver, finishing ahead of great drivers with struggling cars. It’s refreshing to see a young driver thrive under the pressure of being a formula one driver.
