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'Verstappen and Red Bull so dominant they are often allowed free passes'
- GPblog.com
Jolyon Palmer believes that the combination of Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing is currently so dominant that other Formula 1 drivers make no effort to defend when they see the Dutchman appearing in their mirrors. However, the former F1 driver does think that this mentality will change over the course of the season, as the other teams approach Red Bull.
In his analysis for Formula1.com, Palmer writes that there are often moments in a Grand Prix when you have to race sensibly. "Often when a driver is out of sequence on pit strategy you won’t bother slowing up your own race in a futile bid to keep them behind," the 32-year-old Briton argues.
'Verstappen and Red Bull benefit doubly from this'
"This is also true when you don’t think you can fight with them for a race duration – and that is what Red Bull and Verstappen are doubly benefitting from at the moment. They have the best car with a dominant driver and because nobody thinks they can beat them they are allowed free passes all too often as well," he adds.
However, Palmer does not think this approach will be permanent. "As rival teams close up later on this season I'm sure we will see that mindset change and we’ll have proper victory battles again as others think they stand a chance of sustaining a race long challenge," said the former Renault driver.