Steiner warns Verstappen: 'He must not make mistakes'

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Steiner knows which F1 driver can challenge Verstappen
19 August at 16:00
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  • Nicole Mulder

With the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, the second part of the Formula 1 season is upon us. Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner, in an exclusive interview with GPblog, speaks about his expectations for the rest of the F1 season and how he expects it to go for Max Verstappen.

Steiner: 'Verstappen must not make mistakes'

Verstappen enters the summer break with a comfortable 78-point lead over Lando Norris. Among constructors, the difference is a lot smaller, so there is work to be done for Red Bull Racing. Nevertheless, Steiner still sees the Dutchman as the big favourite for the world title this year.

"He's got the biggest chance, but he can make no mistake. If he makes a few mistakes, he's under pressure," said Steiner, who sees Verstappen and Red Bull's closest rival actually making mistakes. "I think Lando can still get close to him if McLaren stop making [mistakes]. And this is not a criticism of McLaren. I think they're doing a fantastic job. But if they believe in themselves, they can win every race, because you need to learn to win as well."

He continued: "Winning is difficult, even if you're a good car, but consistent winning is very difficult. So if they can take that little step up and win consistently... That they are not afraid of themselves, then I think Lando can challenge Max.

Even if Lando Norris and McLaren succeed in this, Steiner says it will be a tough task for the F1 team from Woking. "If Max is solid and never makes mistakes, sometimes happy with the podium instead of the win, he has got a good advantage. As much as I like him, and he knows that, he needs to be careful," Steiner concluded.

This article has been written in collaboration with Matt Gretton