Max Verstappen is Formula 1’s modern-day Michael Schumacher, the German in “disguise”, and don’t expect him to change his ways even after his 20 seconds of penalties in Mexico. Verstappen courted controversy at the Mexican Grand Prix when he twice ran Lando Norris off the road, and he did it on one lap alone, lap 10. ‘Max Verstappen is just a demon… Puts the helmet on and the horns grow’Racing for position behind Carlos Sainz, Verstappen was ahead of Norris when the McLaren driver launched an attack around the outside of Turn 4.

Verstappen forced him wide but given Norris had the apex, the rules state the Red Bull driver had to leave him room and he was therefore penalised 10 seconds. And so the “red mist”, as Martin Brundle put it, descended and Verstappen attacked Norris up the inside at Turn 7 but ran them both of them off of the road. Verstappen emerged ahead of Norris and was penalised for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

But while his team boss Christian Horner defended his antics, many pundits have stated the Dutchman crossed the line especially at Turn 7. Former F1 team boss Eddie Jordan reckons Verstappen’s style of racing reminds him of seven-time World Champion Schumacher who was disqualified from the 1997 standings for taking out title rival Jacques Villeneuve. “Yes, he was very, very tough in Mexico,” Jordan told the Formula For Success podcast.

“Listen, we know he is Michael Schumacher in disguise, isn’t he? Honestly! Max is just a demon when he gets into that car.

Puts the helmet on and the horns grow. “And, I think Mexico, they give a good slap on the wrist, and I hope he learns from it, because some of the stuff that we saw is not necessarily what we would like to see. “But nevertheless, that’s Max race, and that’s his style, and he’s not going to lose that.

He probably gets it from Jos, his dad. ”His fellow pundit David Coulthard agrees with the Schumacher sentiment, but likes that Verstappen is different to the rest of the field as the sport needs “baddies”. “Basically what Max has done, he’s the modern-day Michael Schumacher in that he’s prepared to push the boundaries to find out where the sporting lines are,” said the Scot.

“And I think that absolutely is part of his DNA, part of his success, is the fact that every single driver knows that they have got to fight fire with fire. “I guess it was inevitable after the debate of what we saw in Austin that penalties would be applied in Mexico. But I don’t suspect one moment Max will do anything different if the same situation arises.

“And I think also the other thing is, you’re going to make split-second decisions as the car is moving at pace, and you don’t know who’s ahead at the apex until you get to the apex and the only way you find out is by trying. So I don’t expect him to change at all. “Actually, the fact that he’s different to the others is what makes it so… every sport needs the favourites and the baddies and all the stuff that’s in between.

”Max Verstappen v Lando Norris: What’s to come? 👉Five big questions we want answering at the Brazilian Grand Prix👉The ultimate F1 2024 title calculator: Are Lando Norris first World Championship hopes over? ‘Beyond doubt’ that Max Verstappen will win the World titleLike Schumacher in 1997, and other years, Verstappen’s transgressions in Mexico were against his title rival.

Having stopped the rot in the standings in Austin where he too went wheel-to-wheel with Norris and pushed him wide in their battle, Verstappen suffered the biggest points swing yet in Mexico as his two penalties meant he finished P6 while Norris was second. But as the Red Bull driver still holds a 47-point lead, Jordan is convinced the title is his. “Coming back to World Championship to answer the question, and the question is, ‘do I think he’s going to win it?

’ Beyond doubt, he’s going to win the World title,” said the 76-year-old. “47 points,” he added. “I said some time ago, maybe four races ago, that the biggest asset that Max has is the other competitors.

“Piastri, I don’t know what happened to him in the last couple of races but anyway very quick, but someone who hasn’t been there to support Lando as much as possible in certain areas that he would have or he could go on and win Grands Prix. I don’t think he’d be allowed to win Grands prix anymore, because for sure the fight Lando to get a World title is so important. “However, there is Leclerc, Sainz, Lewis, George.

There is any amount of drivers who can win races, including Max so therefore I think he’s safe. I think he’s safe by virtue of the group of people who are around him who can fight for him, without them realising that they are fighting for Max. I think Max has it under control.

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