Newey accepts setback for Verstappen: 'That's the nature of the sport'

Max Verstappen will be battling Lewis Hamilton this season to decide who takes the world title. The Dutchman is currently eight points behind Hamilton's Mercedes with Red Bull Racing but looks set to do all he can to win the world championship after the summer break.

Adrian Newey, with all his experience, is experiencing the title fight up close. The Briton sees Verstappen making an excellent impression in his car and therefore stands a good chance of beating Mercedes this season. It won't be easy though, as Newey knows.

Newey tells Formel1.de how difficult it is to dominate the German racing team. "We have to perform at the highest level in all areas to beat a seven-time world champion team and I think we have done that. The last few races were very painful for us after we were strong in the tripleheader France-Steiermark-Austria. That shows how quickly things can change."

"Especially after the Austrian Grand Prix, things were looking very good," he continued. "We had a decent points lead in the two championships. Two races later we are behind in both rankings, which is all the more painful because it is not our fault. That's the nature - and the competition - of the sport we're in. We just have to stay focused and keep pushing."