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Max Verstappen is looking at the bigger picture after showing new-found maturity en route to his P3 finish at the 2022 F1 Monaco GP, according to former F1 driver Allan McNish.
Max Verstappen was in P3 for the majority of the race in the Principality, which was ultimately won by his teammate Sergio Perez, but did not seem agitated or impatient to try and make reckless overtakes. Instead, the reigning world champion appeared to be more than content to just finish ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, his primary title rival thus far in the 2022 season.
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McNish, who raced for Toyota in 2002, was recently in conversation with Max Verstappen's mother Sophie Kumpen on the F1 Nation podcast. He highlighted the Dutchman's mature approach during the Monaco GP, saying:
“The one thing I saw with Max [Verstappen] was someone that wasn’t necessarily attacking for the last tenth or the last overtake that we have seen before. Someone that realised ‘maybe I’m not quite quick enough this weekend to deliver a win’ and is thinking [about the] long game.”
The 53-year-old former F1 driver went on to add:
“It might be the person that’s just won a World Championship and knows he’s already got one in his pocket, so doesn’t necessarily have that little thing to prove. Not to everyone else, but very often to yourself. I certainly know from my point of view as a driver, it was proving it to myself as much as it was to proving it to anyone else. When he looked in the mirror at the end, after the restart, he had his main championship contender behind him. The person leading was obviously his teammate, so from that perspective it was a reasonably protected position. I would say he was in a good position whichever way it was, because he was ahead of Charles Leclerc.”
Max Verstappen's change in demeanor was all the more impressive, considering the frustrations he voiced on the team radio during the 2022 F1 Spanish GP.
"I did the best I could" - Max Verstappen following his P3 finish at 2022 F1 Monaco GP
Max Verstappen feels he did the best he could given the tricky circumstances at the 2022 F1 Monaco GP.
The Red Bull driver started the race in P4 behind both the Ferrari drivers and his teammate Sergio Perez, but was able to end up on the podium after a botched strategy call demoted pole sitter Charles Leclerc.
Speaking in his post-race interview, Max Verstappen said:
“I did the best I could of course, after yesterday and once the course was blocked with the red flag. As a team we did a really good job with the strategy to get ahead of the Ferraris, as a whole team we can be very pleased with the Sunday. It was a very hectic one with the rain and stuff but I think we executed it well. I extended my points lead, which I didn’t expect last night so I think that’s a positive.”
The 24-year-old leads the World Drivers' Championship with 125 points heading into the 2022 F1 Azerbaijan GP.
Catch the teams and drivers at the Azerbaijan GP on Sunday, May 12, 2022.
