Dutch racing driver Tom Coronel is a Max Verstappen fan. And while in the past, he has associated a certain driving style with him, even he was surprised with how the Red Bull driver conducted himself last season en route to his fourth consecutive World Championship victory.
In the 10 seasons that Verstappen has raced in F1, oftentimes he has let ambitions take over adhesion on track. This season, however, as per Coronel, the 27-year-old managed his races with a certain calculative edge that he has never seen him do.
Despite that, Verstappen had the legs on his rival by showcasing moments of ruthlessness that set him apart. “I think that’s [he’s] a real champion. Sometimes you have to be a bit of an a**hole, just selfish.”
That’s the only way to let people know that you are the champion and that they should remember that,” he told RacingNews365.
The 52-year-old saw two sides to the racing driver that Verstappen embodied this season. However, the aggressive side of the Dutchman was what really resonated with him and he cited the Mexico City GP and US GP results to make his point.
What made Verstappen the champion
At the US GP, the Dutchman got his shoulders out against his closest championship rival Lando Norris. And while neither of the drivers yielded during a tussle mid-race, it was Norris who got a penalty and not Verstappen.
“You know you cannot pass outside the white line, it’s as simple as that” ❌
Max Verstappen reflects on his battle with Lando Norris late on in Austin ⚔ pic.twitter.com/x4HzRjT380
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 25, 2024
It set the stage up for a re-run of that battle at the Mexico City GP just a week later. This time around, however, it was Verstappen who was handed two 10-second time penalties. But despite this, he was very vocal about how he would not change his driving style — something that Coronel believed played into Norris’ head.
A long wait ⏱️
Red Bull had to endure a 20-second pause before they could work on Max Verstappen’s car after he was penalized for forcing Lando Norris off the track #F1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/zE7n0i9Hkg
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 29, 2024
At the end of the day, what sealed the Dutchman’s fourth title was his supreme wet-weather drive at the Sao Paulo GP. A bad Q2 exit and a five-second penalty for a new ICE meant he started 17th. But he went on to win the race whilst Norris slipped down to sixth despite getting pole position.
Verstappen wrapped the title up at the Las Vegas GP, with two race weekends remaining. A difficult, but thoroughly deserved win.
