Max Verstappen's rise to the big time has been meteoric, to say the least. But the 17-year-old prodigy, who passed through the gates of Grand Prix racing after just one season in single seaters, albeit a very successful one, has also displayed a remarkable maturity at the highest level.
Obviously, his performances have produced inconsistencies and a few ups and downs, something which was to be expected for such a diamond in the rough.
But Verstappen's team boss Franz Tost believes the junior bull has offered his employers full satisfaction so far, given the challenges at hand, both technical and human.
“I must say there are less downs than expected because if you look at all the races, he has shown the performance always was there, " Franz Tost told F1i.
"It was most often a technical problem, but also how he handles all these technical problems is quite impressive. Normally a young driver has some difficulties dealing with that."
"Once more if I remember how good his race was and how he fought in Melbourne, and then I remember in China with just a few laps to go and then ‘boom’ and you have to stop, but he is still quite relaxed. "
So far in his debut season, young Max has taken it all in his stride and earned the praise of his employers, Red Bull and Toro Rosso, along the way. Not only for his raw speed and race craft, but for his incredibly developed mental approach.
"Max is mentally very strong and also strong enough just to forget it, race done, next weekend. To concentrate once more on the next weekend, to build up the motivation once more for the next race and to look forward is also quite interesting to observe. It also proves how mature he is already.”
Click here for Chris Medland's Italian Grand Prix preview and bold podium prediction.
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