'On fire' Verstappen still putting the jigsaw together - Webber

Former F1 driver Mark Webber believes that Max Verstappen will only gain from his current woes which have seen the Red Bull racer retire in four of the last six races.

The young charger was racing with the leaders on Sunday when his engine expired after just ten laps, forcing the Dutchman into a bitter retirement and leaving him thoroughly frustrated.

But Webber thinks that Verstappen's current strains will only make him stronger in the end.

"He's still so young. He doesn't know how much more he's going to learn yet, which is a frightening thing," said the Aussie.

"He's still putting the jigsaw together. The only way he can do it is throw eggs against the wall, and that's going Grand Prix racing, so he's doing that right now. He's on fire there."

Verstappen happy with performance, foiled by results

A diamond in the rough, Verstappen's skills and his race craft are still being sharpened, according to Webber.

"He likes the outside at Turn 1, it's a bit of a Fernando [Alonso] move, which paid off in Montreal, but didn't pay off in Barcelona, where they were three-wide.

"So there are a few things like that which he'll look at how and when he's going to manage that going forward.

"But he's a phenomenal talent and he's on fire at the moment."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.