F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Verstappen and Vettel very much alike - Horner

Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner showed no restraint yesterday as he praised Max Verstappen for his Malaysia GP win.

The young Dutch prodigy trounced the opposition in Sepang to secure his second F1 victory and become the sport's youngest driver to record two race wins.

"A great performance by the whole team and fantastic to see Max get a well-deserved victory, after enduring so much bad luck throughout the season," Horner said.

"I said when Max’s luck would change it would change in a dramatic way and it’s difficult to believe the last time he was on the podium was at the beginning of April in China.

"He drove a truly dominant race, making a sensational pass on Lewis and then really controlling the race from there."

Indeed, Verstappen appeared to take a leaf out of Hamilton's book of racing with his master class performance.

Yet Horner sees more similarities with Sebastian Vettel, a man who brought four world titles to Red Bull Racing.

"Max is a very different character to Sebastian but what you see in standout drivers, you see similarities.

"Where Sebastian was very strong under big pressure moments, Max has that ability too. He was so cool leading the Grand Prix. He was the coolest guy out there.

"You see under pressure he is really delivering at a massive level, and this year his performances, particularly on a Saturday, have been massively impressive.

"We know that Daniel [Ricciardo] is one of the best, so to have the two of them pushing each other the way that they are is a dream situation for the team."

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

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.

Recent Posts

Cassidy stands tall in Mexico City – and so does Citroën

Nick Cassidy delivered to Citroen Racing its maiden ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in…

41 mins ago

Alpine to give Colapinto ‘all the support he needs’ to deliver in F1

Franco Colapinto endured a tough season with Alpine in 2025, but inside Enstone the message…

2 hours ago

The long game: Williams still building as Vowles looks beyond 2026

As Williams continues its steady ascent under the leadership of James Vowles, the Grove-based outfit…

3 hours ago

Audi’s Wheatley thought team principal role in F1 was ‘unattainable’

In the world of Formula 1, where career ladders are often climbed with ruthless ambition,…

4 hours ago

Schumacher’s first F1 winner hits the auction block

Michael Schumacher’s 1992 Benetton B192, the very car that delivered his maiden Formula 1 victory,…

20 hours ago

Why Bortoleto thinks Verstappen could be the perfect teammate

Gabriel Bortoleto is not buying into the widespread idea that lining up alongside Max Verstappen…

22 hours ago