Former Formula 1 driver Jan Lammers calls on fans to enjoy what Max Verstappen is currently creating. The races may sometimes seem a bit boring, but that is precisely what makes Verstappen’s success too easy to take for granted, says the Zandvoort resident.
The NOS review discussed in detail the debut of Oliver Bearman, who, after Verstappen and Lance Stroll, became the youngest driver ever to start a Grand Prix. Bearman was immediately allowed to join top team Ferrari, and took six points on his debut. “You have to mention that he is a rookie, but there was no objection to that,” Lammers said. ‘His way of racing, but also his way of communicating, were excellent.’
Bearman drives himself into the spotlight
Lammers also notes that Bearman was self-critical, usually a good sign in young drivers. ‘He also blamed himself for not overtaking Nico Hulkenberg faster. At the end of the race he expected Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton to overtake him, but then he saw that he kept the lead constant. Then he squeezed in about ten qualifying laps,’ laughs Lammers. ‘He did an exemplary job.’
Bearman, who took pole position in Formula 2 on Thursday, has done himself a good service. “The first conclusion is also the simplest, that he will drive for Haas next year,” predicts the former Formula 1 driver. ‘Haas also needs such a driver. Haas has also done remarkably well. Last year they had problems with tire wear. I think Bearman can do very well at Haas, and their headquarters are also in Maranello, which is no coincidence.”
The text continues below the image.
Verstappen just keeps winning
Verstappen won for the ninth time in a row. An equaling of Sebastian Vettel’s old record, if it were not for the fact that Verstappen himself won ten races in a row in 2023. ‘If you assume that Sergio Pérez is just a very good driver, and that Max occasionally had a lap where he was a second per lap faster… I think Max just drove with two fingers up his nose has’, is Lammers’ opinion.
The 67-year-old former driver thinks this is partly because Verstappen suffered from too cold tires. ‘On the last lap, Charles Leclerc set the fastest lap of the race on 43 laps of old tires, and Max said afterwards that he couldn’t really get his tires up to temperature. I think he actually had a lot left. So he was very dominant,” Lammers concludes.
The fact that Verstappen makes it all look so simple makes it even more impressive. ‘He only has something to do when stragglers come, but other than that he just gets into a rhythm. We saw from Lance Stroll, and at the end with Daniel Ricciardo, how easy it is to make a mistake, and he doesn’t do that,” the analyst points out. ‘He’s really in his zone, even though he’s not in a calm environment, because there’s obviously a lot going on in that team, but he just stays focused. That is really out of category.’
Lammers then addresses the many fans, who may sometimes complain about the lack of excitement in Formula 1. ‘Sometimes you take it a little too much for granted, but the motorsport enthusiast should really cherish this time, also because Max has the signals given that he won’t continue to do this for another ten years, so I would really enjoy it, because this is really very special,” is Lammers’ advice to motorsport fans.
Unrest at Red Bull
Lammers also briefly discusses the turbulent situation within the team. ‘The first thought that comes to mind is that you have to manage success. If you don’t manage success, things like this can happen. On the one hand, these are private matters, a naughty father who has been away from home for too long,” Lammers says about the investigation into Christian Horner. ‘These are internal matters, and something needs to be done about them, but bringing it out in this way is of course not a professional way of communicating, as you would expect from a large company.’ Lammers also thinks it is bad for the sport. ‘I think so.’
