Max Verstappen welcomes threat from Mercedes in Formula 1 2022
'It's good that they are competitive because then they can steal more points off Ferrari!' said Verstappen
KARACHI: Max Verstappen thinks that the championship is still open despite his enormous advantage and has welcomed Mercedes' return to the front so they can "take more points off Ferrari."
After two victories before the summer break, Verstappen has an 80-point lead over Charles Leclerc; if he were to lose the championship, it would be the largest points deficit in the history of the sport.
Both Mercedes drivers finished on the podium in Verstappen's victories in France and Hungary, with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell gaining from their team's improvements following a disappointing start to 2022.
"It's good that they are competitive because then they can steal more points off Ferrari!" said Verstappen.
"So I'm very happy. They're doing very well."
Verstappen is also not taking anything for granted in the quest for the championship, citing Red Bull's unpredictable performance in the Hungarian Grand Prix, where they battled in qualifying and experienced mechanical issues during the race.
"Of course, it's a great lead. But we cannot have too many days as we had in qualifying.
"And even in the race, we had a few little issues with the clutch and the upshifts, which was not great to drive. Overall, of course, it's good, but we just keep on working, keep on trying to improve things."
Comments