Faultless Max Verstappen praised for his driving by rival F1 team principal

Ferrari F1 team principal Fred Vasseur recently stated that he is in awe of Max Verstappen's faultless driving, praising the Red Bull driver for being super quick and mistake-free at the same time.

While Vasseur hailed the Dutchman's ability to be quick on different kinds of circuits, what impressed him the most was Verstappen's error-free execution every week, which has allowed him to stay at the top.

In an interview with Sky Sports, the Ferrari team principal said:

"...The most impressive for me is that Max, it’s not just about the last 10 races, it’s about the last two years. I would say that he didn’t do a single mistake in the races." (via RaceFans.net)

Verstappen recently rewrote the history books at the Italian GP, as he won his 10th consecutive race to go one over Sebastian Vettel's record.

Vasseur threw light on Max Verstappen's racecraft at Monza, saying that although his RB19 didn't boast the highest top-end speed, the Dutchman still managed to win the race ahead of the Ferraris.

"For sure it’s easier to not do mistakes when you have a margin on the others. But even in these kind of circumstances [at Monza], he’s able to manage the situation very well, he put some pressure on Carlos but never too much and then didn’t take risks."

He added:

"I think it’s in these kind of races where he was the most impressive, but to not do a single mistake over two seasons, it’s just mega."

Unlike his other victories, Verstappen's most recent victory at Monza wasn't an easy one, as Ferrari threatened to break his streak in front of the Tifosi. Despite the tough competition, Verstappen showcased a calm demeanor and pounced on the opportunity to take the lead when Carlos Sainz locked up at Turn 1 on lap 15.

Carlos Sainz ahead of Max Verstappen

Such mistake-free execution from both Max Verstappen and Red Bull has allowed them to win races on the trot and continue their domination.

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Former F1 champion believes he could defeat Max Verstappen in equal machinery

Nico Rosberg, who beat Lewis Hamilton in equal machinery for the 2016 F1 world championship, reckons he could take on Max Verstappen if he was given the same equipment.

Rosberg boldly made the claim on Sky F1 podcast, when he was asked how he would fare alongside 2023-spec Verstappen. To which the German replied:

“I put Max on the same level as Lewis [Hamilton]. So that’s how I would do.”

Having beaten Hamilton, Nico Rosberg's suggestion indicated that he would have beaten the Red Bull driver. When Rosberg was asked to reaffirm what he meant, he reiterated:

“Yeah, so that’s how I would do. That would be my best guess.”

The former Mercedes driver and Max Verstappen shared the grid for a brief time between 2015 and 2016 but rarely went head-to-head with one other.

Rosberg later added that he was not coming out of retirement to drive alongside Verstappen.