'Verstappen is a child, and he is overrated'

Former F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has laid some harsh criticism down at the feet of Max Verstappen, claiming that the Red Bull driver is a 'child', is 'overrated', while claiming that the Dutchman is inferior to his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

Verstappen has had a testing start to the season, with incidents in Baku and Monaco in particular placing focus on his temperament, with some even suggesting his position in Red Bull could be at risk.

The 20-year-old was back to his best at the weekend in Canada, finishing in third position behind Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas, though before the race he had threatened to 'headbutt someone' because of the pressure he was under and being asked the same questions by journalists.

Ans Villeneuve, who has been known in the past to hold outspoken views about F1, feels that Verstappen's behaviour is not becoming of a top driver and that he is being outshone regularly by Ricciardo.

He said: "You need to be aware of your mistakes in order to progress, and he has not done that. Instead he showed a lack of respect and education.

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“In some ways he is still a child. He was dragged out of the cradle and put into a car. That’s probably why he is not at Ricciardo’s level and even looks bad.

“If Red Bull considers him to be the future, he must beat his teammate. In the meantime, the opposite is true. He is overrated. The journalist’s role is to report facts, even if Verstappen answered the question a hundred times,” says the Canadian former Champ.

“The responsibility of the driver is to answer – if the question is justified. But Verstappen had no right to take offense and react in that way."