Ferrari F1 boss Fred Vasseur is impressed by Red Bull and Max Verstappen's seemingly unstoppable run of form, but the Frenchman has been outright amazed by the Dutchman's ability to race error-free for the past two seasons.
Verstappen upheld in Monza last time out Red Bull's undefeated track record in 2023 with a 47th career win in F1 which also happened to be the 25-year-old's tenth consecutive victory, a feat that represents a new milestone in the sport.
While the Mercedes camp played down the achievement with a hunch of bitterness, Vasseur praised both Red Bull and Verstappen's unwavering dominance and success rate.
But the Dutchman received from the Scuderia boss some extra commendation for his foolproof track record in the last 24 months.
"What is impressive is that, for sure, they [Red Bull] have always had mega pace," said Vasseur, quoted by Speedcafe. "From Monaco to Monza, covering all aspects of every track, they have performed.
"But what is most impressive for me is that Max – and not just in the last 10 races but over the last two years – hasn’t made a single mistake.
"For sure, it’s easier not to make a mistake when you have a margin over the others, but even in these kinds of circumstances, he is able to manage the situation very well."
Verstappen's apprenticeship in F1 was marked by scintillating performances but also by many miscues and errors of judgement. But as he refined his skills and talent, the Dutchman also built his maturity.
Vasseur says the latter was once again on display at Monza where Verstappen spent the opening 14 laps of the Italian Grand Prix hot on the heels of Ferrari race leader Carlos Sainz, biding his time until he felt the need to take command.
"He put some pressure on Carlos but never too much, he didn’t take risks," noted Vasseur.
"He knew he had a difference in pace, and he was convinced that if it [overtaking] was not possible during the first stint, it would be around the pitstop.
"I was not very confident in the fight with Max after lap 10. When I saw the pace was there and they had no degradation, I thought it would be quite difficult.
"But overall, in these kinds of races, it’s where he has been the most impressive, not making a single mistake. Over two seasons, that’s just mega."
©Ferrari
For all of Verstappen's perfection and strength, Vasseur hasn't lost hope that Ferrari will be able to give the championship leader and Red Bull another run for their money in the back half of the season.
"After a weekend like we had, you can say we are not that far away in terms of pace, one or two-tenths (of a second), not much more, to stay in front," he added.
"But it is like it is, they are still in front. and neither driver is making a mistake, as they did last weekend.
"I was expecting that putting Max under pressure he might make a mistake but that was not the case.
"Let’s try again, let’s be a bit more performant, to stay closer to Red Bull. It will be the best way to fight and put them a little bit more under pressure."
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