Max Verstappen News: F1 boss insists rival pressure is causing champion to make 'mistakes'

Max Verstappen in Melbourne — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 boss insists rival pressure is causing Verstappen 'mistakes'

Max Verstappen has won just one of the last three races

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Monday 3 June 2024 10:57

A Formula 1 team boss has highlighted that Max Verstappen’s recent ‘mistakes’ are a result of the pressure rival teams have put on Red Bull.

The Dutch champion has been unbeatable over the past few seasons, achieving three consecutive world titles and 49 race victories since the first of those championship-winning seasons.

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Whilst Verstappen still leads the drivers’ championship by 31 points, Red Bull’s dominance appears to be coming to an end as their rivals begin to close the gap.

Lando Norris won the Miami Grand Prix, finished under a second behind Verstappen in Imola, and Red Bull were behind both McLaren and Ferrari at the Monaco GP, with Verstappen finishing down in sixth.

Max Verstappen has often cruised to victory on Sunday's race

Max Verstappen spent most of the Monaco GP behind George Russell in sixth

Is Max Verstappen under pressure?

Verstappen seemed unruffled by Red Bull’s lack of pace in Monaco, describing it as a ‘blip’, and was confident that they would improve at tracks better suited to them.

However, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur believes that Red Bull’s rivals have put Verstappen under pressure, which has led to more mistakes from the champion.

"I don't want to draw any conclusions from this weekend, but if you look at the last two weekends, Max made more mistakes in Imola than in the last three seasons,” Vasseur told media in Monaco.

Fred Vasseur insists Verstappen is now outside of his 'comfort zone'

“As soon as you have to push more, if you have to stay in your comfort zone for the strategy, for everything, you don't have to make mistakes.

"I think they were in that situation - but I'm not drawing any conclusions. They will be back soon and be strong and I am not considering that all the races will be easy until the end.

"As soon as you are in a position where you have to pay more attention to detail, you have a kind of snowball effect - and this is part of the improvement of the last six or seven months.”

Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton McLaren Lando Norris