Verstappen makes SENSATIONAL talent claim over Hamilton

Red Bull's Max Verstappen has shared an insight on his championship mindset

Jay Winter

Sunday 20 August 2023 18:12

Max Verstappen has admitted that he has never doubted his talents, insisting that he believed himself to be the best Formula 1 driver on the grid – even during Lewis Hamilton's dominant era.

Verstappen's unwavering conviction in his own abilities, even in the face of competition from the sport's most successful driver, has helped catapult him to a commanding 125-point lead in the driver standings.

Speaking to De Telegraaf, the 25-year-old opened up on why he's always been 'convinced' of his abilities.

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"That's how you should always think as a driver, in my opinion," he said. "Otherwise, you'll never be successful. Even if you're not the best driver, you still have to exude that confidence and believe in yourself.

"For example, I would never admit that I'm not the best in the paddock."

When questioned whether he has ever doubted his skills, Verstappen replied: "I've never asked myself the question: 'Am I really as good as I think I am?'

"Sometimes, it doesn't all come together perfectly, there are some unlucky moments, and maybe you try to push too hard. That was the case at the beginning of 2018."

Former team-mates Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen collided at the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Pressing reset

The Dutchman went on to reflect on his 2018 season, where it was anything but plain sailing.

The start of the year was dominated by costly mistakes which were only amplified by arguments with the media.

At the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix, Verstappen only had 35 points to his name, less than half of his former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

However, he managed to turn things around, finishing just two points shy of Kimi Raikkonen in third place.

"I remember well that after the Monaco Grand Prix, I pressed the reset button," said Verstappen.

"After that, I thought: I don't care about anything and let's just start anew. Since the next race in Canada, things have also gone well.

"I got really frustrated with those silly questions back then about my driving style and form. And you end up giving a silly answer in return."

Verstappen's maturity and experience paired with his immaculate talent look set to lead him to his third consecutive world championship as he heads to the Netherlands for the Dutch Grand Prix next weekend.