Honda targeting three more wins for Max Verstappen in 2021

Max Verstappen leads the 2021 Formula 1 drivers' standings by just six points over Lewis Hamilton. Despite Mercedes seeming to have the better car since the British Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing's engine supplier Honda feels the Dutchman can still win three of the next six races, as well as the title.

Honda's managing director Masashi Yamamoto feels Verstappen can win in Brazil, Mexico and Abu Dhabi. As per Formula Passion, the 57-year-old told Auto Sport Web:

“I guess Max wants to keep the lead, especially after the races in Mexico and Brazil. And overall, I think we’ll be able to get three more wins: in addition to the races just mentioned, I think we’ll be able to get success in Abu Dhabi. I don’t want to say anything about Qatar and Saudi Arabia because we don’t know them yet.”

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All four cars contributed to Max Verstappen's Turkish Grand Prix podium finish

According to Yamamoto, the Turkish Grand Prix result had a lot to do with teamwork between the Honda drivers, who fought valiantly against Hamilton throughout the race. He said:

“It was a race in which the three [other] Hondas worked as a team to help Max Verstappen achieve his second place. All four of them, overall, did a great job, starting with Tsunoda and then moving on to Perez and Gasly: they all managed to put pressure on Hamilton."

Particularly pleased to see his young compatriot Yuki Tsunoda fend off seven-time champion Hamilton to buy time for Verstappen, Yamamoto said:

“To finish with two drivers on the podium was a great result, and to see them celebrating with the Japanese flag-inspired suit was particularly exciting. Specifically. I’d like to pay my compliments to Tsunoda. He held off Lewis for eight laps, while everyone else gave up within a lap. He didn’t make any incorrect moves, and it was a shame he spun on Lap 22.

The championship battle is on a knife's edge as we head into the United States Grand Prix in Austin this weekend. Verstappen and Hamilton have both been driving at a very high level and the title battle is pegged to go down to the wire. It will certainly be interesting to see which factors differentiate the two drivers when the dust settles in Abu Dhabi.