Former World Champion slams Verstappen

Former world champion Nico Rosberg believes Max Verstappen will not win a world title if he continues drives like he did in the Chinese Grand Prix.

The ex-Mercedes driver, who was world champion in 2016, believes Verstappen is a talented driver, but his erratic mistakes may hamper his chances of ever winning a title.

“Verstappen, he’s one of the big talents out there and has a great future but driving like the way he is at the moment he’s not going to be able to be world champion because he makes so many mistakes,” the German said.

“Five mistakes now in three races. Five major mistakes, it’s too much.

“It was one of those extremely hard days for a young driver because you take out the world championship leader, you take yourself out, get a penalty, you’re 100 per cent at fault and your team-mate wins the race in an unbelievably awesome way, that is a hard day.”

In China, Verstappen took out championship leader Sebastian Vettel while trying to overtake the Ferrari driver at the hairpin on Lap 43.

The incident sent both cars into a spin and ended both drivers’ hopes of a podium spot.

Race officials handed Verstappen a 10 second penalty and two penalty points on his Superlicence for causing the collision. Verstappen apologised for the collision, saying:

“I locked the rears a bit and hit him. That was of course my fault.”