Back to the Auto Racing Newsfeed

The wake-up calls of future champions: Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and now Max Verstappen

Among the many speculative pieces about the effect of last Sunday's race on Max Verstappen's future, one respected observer suggested that there will be no change at all; what you see is what you get; this is the way Max is and, for all his thrilling car control and confidence, he will never be a World Champion.

Begging to differ, I have a sneaking suspicion that the Chinese Grand Prix will have the quietly profound consequence that comes from not only throwing away a much-needed win but also being beaten by a teammate (who, as all top drivers do, Verstappen believes to be slower) in a car with identical tyres.