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Max Verstappen's gap to Sergio Perez in qualifying seems bizarre to Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who has admitted that he finds it hard to explain it.
Ever since Verstappen recovered from an early season niggle, where he had not understood the car well, the gap between him and his teammate has been massive. Even at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, Verstappen has out-qualified Perez by more than a second.
When questioned about the gap between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, Toto Wolff admitted that it was hard to make sense of. Talking about the team dynamics and the variance in performance, Wolff felt that the gap between the two drivers was only possible if Verstappen has been able to mold the car around himself.
Talking to the media including Sportskeeda, Wolff said:
“Odd, bizarre. Checo’s not an idiot. We have seen in all these years Checo is a grand prix winner, multiple grand prix winner, and he was at Racing Point, so I cannot comprehend [it]."
He added:
“We’ve seen that Max has destroyed every single team-mate that was with him, whether it’s his ability to create a car around himself, that is just very tricky to control but fast if you can, and that creates those gaps, the 1.3."
It’s not only about being quick: Max Verstappen
In a recent interaction with SkyF1, Max Verstappen talked about how success in F1 is not only about being quick. The Dutchman stated that there are several other factors, including having the capability to fight under pressure, not make mistakes, and be consistent. He told Sky F1:
“At the end of the day, it’s not only about being quick or doing fast lap times. There’s a lot more that comes into play when you’re fighting for a championship. When you are constantly under pressure or having to deliver and being consistent, you cannot afford mistakes when it’s a very high level. It’s a whole different game."
He added:
“And of course I come to learn that in the last few years, so it’s not always about being the best driver, it’s about how to handle all these things together with the pressure.”
Max Verstappen will start the race in Zandvoort on pole position. The two-time world champion is looking at the possibility of matching Sebastian Vettel's record of nine consecutive wins. Looking at the pace of the Red Bull and Verstappen's ability to perform, the record looks more like a formality than anything else.
