Ecclestone: Champions won't want Verstappen as teammate
- Published on 06 Sep 2018 12:52
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- By: Fergal Walsh
Former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says that Formula 1 champions won't want to have Max Verstappen as their teammate in the future. Verstappen currently partners Daniel Ricciardo, but will be alongside Pierre Gasly in 2019 as Ricciardo leaves for Renault.
2019 will mark Verstappen's fifth season in Formula 1, despite being just 20 years old. The Dutchman has impressed in his F1 career so far, taking four victories, the latest coming earlier this season at Red Bull's home Grand Prix in Austria.
Verstappen extended his Red Bull contract last year to the end of the 2020 season, but there is reportedly a clause in his contract that will allow him to leave if Red Bull's upcoming partnership with Honda doesn't work out. And if he was to leave, Ecclestone believes that none of the top drivers would want him as a teammate.
“I don’t think any of the World Champions would want to have him in the team,” Ecclestone told Nico Rosberg in the 2016 world champion's ‘Beyond Victory’ podcast. “I think he’d have a bigger job getting a seat in a [leading] team than Fernando [Alonso] has.
“I don’t think Ferrari would welcome him with open arms or Mercedes. Put it this way, you wouldn’t be delighted if you were in a team… forget the word number one but assume you were the top guy in the team and someone says ‘the guy who’s going to drive the other car is Verstappen’. That’s a different story. Sebastian wouldn’t want him, Lewis wouldn’t want him.”
Fergal Walsh
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Replies (17)
Login to replytalktohenry
Posts: 362
Only reason DR left was Max is quicker, the only one quick enough to cope with Max would be Fernando or Lewis.
Bhurt
Posts: 320
Bernie knows.
juju_hound
Posts: 180
Hot Head Max makes to many mistakes to be Champion. His attitude after Monza, clash with Bottas and penalty, is very immature. The question is which other team would like to have him now?
gazoom
Posts: 78
Well Bernie's point was that noone wants him as a team mate anyway. Mainly because he's a threat to any driver in the field based on pure speed.
I do agree that he has to mature still though. His attitude towards Charlie/others is straight up annoying, having a fit about a debatable incident is something that he should get rid off asap. On the other hand, I personally believe he's growing on that level. It'll probably take a few more years, but I'm sure he'll get there in the end.
F1_IS_Dead
Posts: 123
Verstappen drives sensational since Monaco. He wipes the floor with Riccardo, who put Vettel in his place. He places the car pace wise where it doesn't belong against much faster cars. If he was sitting in a comfortable Ferrari or Mercedes, he would be leading the championship by a big margin. Everyone who is not able to see, what this guy does on track, should probably follow other sports.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Maybe Mercedes, as a valid replacement for their current baby once he departs for boyschool?
Ram Samartha
Posts: 1,172
I know Max walks on water in the minds of the Dutch, but you're not faster if you can't bring the car home without incident and race within the rules. Otherwise, you can only say he is faster when everyone else is playing by the rules and he isn't. That's why nobody would want to be his teammate.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Why hello, dear Äckelstone? What a displeasure to see you today! Is everything well with you? Been milking money from some other business, I presume?
Hepp
Posts: 200
People keep reading (and commenting) on his dribble ... Like Jacques Villeneuve, nothing to discuss ... opinions for click bait ...no relative insight
mcbhargav
Posts: 1,332
Wonder why no one says anything against Hamilton or Vettel. Its clearly not due to threat of 'talent'.
ajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
Plenty is said about Vettel and Hamilton, what are you talking about. Verstappen's issues are obviously different. It's not just the disagreeing with penalties (almost nobody agrees in the middle of the race) but it's the (1) frequency and (2) egregiousness of the offenses that makes Max's protests despicable in the eyes of many. I still think he's a prodigy and that he'll get it right and be a multiple WDC. However, he's his own worst enemy.
xoya
Posts: 583
He, kind of, has a point. No no.1 driver in a top team would want him as a teammate because he would not take team orders (or any other order for that matter). He is too aggressive, poisonous even. But he is almost 15 years younger than Vettel and Hamilton. What's to stop him from becoming a no.1 driver himself?
Smiler121
Posts: 53
Pretty sure he's #1 driver next year & being treated that way at times overall this year too?
xoya
Posts: 583
True, although RedBull is not a top team. Should be, but it's not, thanks to the engine.
blade
Posts: 341
He IS a number one driver !!
blade
Posts: 341
Also, don’t agree with Ecclestone, to be thbe best you have to best the best, I think I’ve seen both Vettel and Hamilton day they’re not scared of anyone??
Ram Samartha
Posts: 1,172
Yeah Bernie, because they know his style of racing is to hit and potentially even take you out rather than let you pass or finish ahead of him. The kid who wouldn't learn. Maybe those extra few years finishing school while in the seat of a car would have helped him in that department.