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Windsor sees great Verstappen: 'More than anyone else in the world'
On the first day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, Max Verstappen did not spend a huge amount of time on the track. In FP1, there was a Red Bull rookie in his RB19, and during the second session, he was annoyed by stationary cars in the pit lane. Formula 1 analyst Peter Windsor also saw both free practice sessions and gave his verdict.
Windsor on difficult day Verstappen
"Well, if you want just an inkling of an idea of why Max Verstappen is as good as he is, what makes him different perhaps from other Grand Prix drivers, from his peers, we saw it today on Friday in Abu Dhabi. Because let's face it, the championship's long been decided. It's a bit of a fun weekend. It's the last race of the year. Everybody desperate to get home, I guess, after a very long season," Windsor said on his Youtube channel.
Verstappen was not on the track in the first free practice, as he gave his seat to Isack Hadjar for the practice session. The French-Algerian driver did reasonably well, but both he and other Red Bull rookie Jake Dennis failed to make the top ten.
Verstappen does not lean back
"Max Verstappen, as the new three-times world champion, every reason to be relaxed and just laid back and enjoying himself," said Windsor, who sees something different about the Dutchman. "Even so, you'd still think he'd be fairly laid back. Not a bit of it. He was desperate to get out of the circuit as quickly. As quickly as possible. And to get as much information as he could from the car," said the analyst.
According to Windsor, the fact that Verstappen got angry in the pit lane is exactly one of the reasons why he is so good. "That gives an insight as to Max's mentality. Yeah, the championship's over. Yeah, this is holiday time. But he wants to win this Grand Prix more than anything else in the world right now," Windsor concluded.