F1 News
Brawn believes Verstappen is ready to challenge Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen's most successful season in Formula 1 had brought praise from the world of motorsport and Ross Brawn may have put some of the highest praise on his young shoulders.
Verstappen's three race wins at the Austrian, German and Brazilian Grand Prix helped him to finish third in the Drivers' Championship, only behind Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. As well as his victories, the Dutchman also scored his first-ever pole position in Hungary.
Lewis Hamilton was head and shoulders above the rest of the field this season, but Ross Brawn believes Verstappen is ready to start challenging the six-time World Champion.
"Max scored the first pole of his Formula 1 career in Hungary, a second in Brazil and has booked three victories, putting him at a total of eight," Brawn said as quoted by Motorsport.com.
"But more importantly, we saw him make fewer mistakes, which in the past was mainly due to his impatient character. Those moments of hothead have cost him a lot in previous seasons, but this year there were far fewer.
"He is only 22 years old and is undoubtedly in his most clinical form to date. He is ready to challenge Lewis Hamilton.
"Of course he needs a suitable car to do that and that was not the case at the start of this season."