Ralf Schumacher claims home race could HARM Max Verstappen's chances of victory

Verstappen, Zandvoort, DutchGP — Photo: © LAT Images

Max Verstappen

Schumacher claims home race could HARM Verstappen's chances of victory

The German has spoken about the dominance of the Red Bull driver ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix

Luis Raya

Saturday 26 August 2023 11:27

Ralf Schumacher has called for greater recognition of Verstappen's skill as a driver in his dominance and how racing at home can affect the pressure on the Dutchman.

The Red Bull driver has completed an incredible first half of the 2023 season, outscoring teammate Sergio Perez by 125 points and winning 10 out of the 12 races held up to this point.

With eight consecutive victories, Verstappen could at the Dutch Grand Prix equal Sebastian Vettel's record of nine consecutive wins set by the German with the also dominant Red Bull in 2013.

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Given this dominant scenario, it's only a matter of time before the Dutchman secures his third world championship title. Many believe that Red Bull's significant lead over the rest of the grid makes the competition less exciting, although former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes that Verstappen deserves more credit.

"I believe that Max Verstappen's performances are not being adequately recognised. This dominance definitely comes from the driver, not just from a great race car. You can see that from Perez's performances," said the German as quoted by Speed-Week.com.

While Verstappen has secured 10 victories, Perez, with only two, has been significantly behind his teammate throughout the season. In qualifying, the statistic repeats itself, and the Mexican has only been faster on two occasions, while out of the three sprint races, he only managed to outpace the Dutchman once.

Verstappen is one win away from matching Sebastian Vettel's record of nine consecutive wins

The pressure of racing at home

Likewise, Schumacher also pointed out the greater pressure that Verstappen faces in his home race, although he believes that the attitude the Dutchman possesses will help him deal with it and perform well.

"Of course, Max is the favorite in Zandvoort," he added. "But the pressure of the home race and the need to win seems to bounce off him. Max has built up incredible self-confidence."

"I see a Max Verstappen who is very relaxed and looking forward to Zandvoort. Certainly, the whole surrounding of a home race can be distracting, but Verstappen seems to handle it quite well."