Max Verstappen - The African Mirror

Jun

2023

Verstappen on pole for Spanish Grand Prix

ALAN BALDWIN RED Bull's championship leader Max Verstappen flew to pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz alongside on the front row after a dramatic qualifying. Verstappen was nearly half a second clear of the Spaniard and so good was his first lap in the final phase that he aborted the second, which was merely a protective gesture, once it became clear nobody else was going to beat him. It might have ended up being even faster. "The car was on rails, it was really enjoyable to drive today," said the happy Dutch driver, who took…

May

2023

By ALAN BALDWIN

Double delight for triumphant Perez in Baku

SPORT

SERGIO Perez beat teammate and championship leader Max Verstappen to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and continue Red Bull's Formula One domination with a double success in Baku. Helped by a safety car period that fell in his favour after Verstappen had pitted, the Mexican made the most of his good fortune to take a sixth career victory and become the first driver to win the grand prix for a second time. Perez is now six points behind Verstappen with two wins each after four rounds and another challenge in Miami is only a week away. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who…

Nov

2022

By The African Mirror

Unhappy Perez says Verstappen showed “who he really is”

SPORT

ALAN BALDWIN RED Bull's Sergio Perez said teammate Max Verstappen showed "who he really is" after the double Formula One world champion refused to give back a place in Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The radio comment came after the Mexican let Verstappen overtake on the understanding that the position would be returned if the Dutch driver could not pass Alpine's Fernando Alonso for fifth place. Perez needs every point to beat Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to overall runner-up while Verstappen has already clinched the title. Red Bull has never finished one-two in the drivers' standings. Perez and Leclerc are now…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

Ferrari must get on top of engine failures, says Leclerc

SPORT

CHARLES Leclerc expressed concern about Ferrari's engine reliability even as he celebrated returning to the top of the Formula One podium for the first time since April. The Monegasque's Austrian Grand Prix victory was his third in 11 races this season, lifting him to second in the championship but a hefty 38 points behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen. "I definitely needed that one. I mean, the last five races have been incredibly difficult for myself, but also for the team, obviously," he said. "It just felt like everything was against me. So, finally we had a breakthrough good race today…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Verstappen delights home Dutch crowd

SPORT

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen absorbed the pressure from both Mercedes cars and won his first Grand Prix in front of the Dutch “Orange army ”. Verstappen took his seventh win of the season from pole, producing a magnificently controlled performance at the whirlwind Zandvoort circuit. A delightful display of fireworks and an orange haze greeted Verstappen as he crossed the line 20 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton and teammate Valterri Bottas, who finished second and third. The lead Red Bull driver now leads the Drivers' Championship standings with 224.5 points to Hamilton's 221.5 though - interestingly - Mercedes leads the constructors'…

Aug

2021

By The African Mirror

Ocon claws to maiden win

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO FRENCH driver Esteban Ocon survived a wet, frantic start to the Hungarian Grand Prix to shockingly win his first Formula One race. The Alpine Racing driver, who signed a contract extension with Alpine for the foreseeable future, held off former World Champion Sebastian Vettel to take the chequered flag for the first time. Lewis Hamilton led the GP after a great start from the front of the grid. Hamilton’s teammate Valterri Bottas was not as fortunate - swamped by cars left and right - the Finn lost grip towards the first corner - colliding with the rear of…

Jul

2021

By The African Mirror

Hamilton chases 99th win at home Grand Prix

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO SILVERSTONE circuit provided an atmosphere like no other as North-London born Lewis Hamilton breathed life into the Formula one World Championship fight. After receiving a 10-second penalty at the start of the race a collision with pole-sitter Max Verstappen, Hamilton fought back resiliently, passing Charles Leclerc on lap 50. Leclerc had led every lap of the race after the restart following the incident between Hamilton and Verstappen on lap one. The second sector altercation between Verstappen and Hamilton triggered a red flag due to severe damage to the tyre barrier. Leclerc led off the line maintaining his lead…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Verstappen flawless at the Red Bull Ring

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO RED Bull’s Max Verstappen eased to victory at the Styrian Grand Prix in Austria. Verstappen, in his first career back-to-back, closed the race with a moment of showmanship over the finish line. Nearest challenger Lewis Hamilton was nearly 35 seconds behind after conceding to a second pitstop to claim the fastest point - and a solitary extra point. The Dutchman has extended his championship lead over Hamilton to 18 points and Red Bull’s lead over Mercedes in the Constructors championship. Verstappen had a good start and, after holding off Hamilton’s Mercedes into turn 1, gradually began to increase…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Red Bull outpace Mercedes in Austria

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO A thrilling display in Austria went down for pole position, with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen taking the top spot ahead of the main event on Sunday. Verstappen managed to clock his fastest time for Q3 in his first run at 1:03.84, following a successful practice where he led in practices one and two. “It’s been a very good weekend,” said pole-sitter Verstappen. “Again in qualifying the car was really good to drive. “It was not easy to deal with the traffic in the last few corners to get a clean run but I think that first lap…

Jun

2021

By The African Mirror

Red Bull dominate French GP

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO RED Bull driver Max Verstappen won a fantastic French Grand Prix - passing reigning championship winner Lewis Hamilton of the penultimate lap at the Paul Ricard Circuit. Verstappen, who was aided by an exquisite team strategy, found himself making two stops where the rest of the field stuck to the premeditated one-stop strategy. Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez, fresh off his maiden Red Bull win, executed the one-stop strategy to perfection gaining a place on Mercedes' Valterri Bottas. The race in Le Castallet was Red Bull's first double-podium in over two years and the first time Red Bull has…