Max in a "class of his own" during stunning Hockenheim win
Monday 29 July 2019 09:15, UK
Max Verstappen savoured the "perfect day" after mastering the changing conditions to take a stunning German GP victory - while Red Bull hailed the in-form driver as being in a "class of his own".
Verstappen's F1 wins always seem to be dramatic and his seventh was no different; the Hockenheim epic featured costly crashes, four Safety Cars, 78 pit-stops and enthralling wheel-to-wheel racing in the wet and dry.
The highly-rated youngster was held behind the Mercedes at the start of the race but, after a miraculous save following a 360 spin, Verstappen took advantage of Lewis Hamilton's crash and then kept his composure amid the chaos around him to triumph ahead of Sebastian Vettel.
"Max kept his head, he was brilliant out there," Red Bull boss Christian Horner told Sky F1.
"Unbelievable. Once he got clean air, he was in a class of his own."
Hamilton, team-mate Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc all made race-critical errors in Germany and Verstappen admitted: "It was very tricky out there.
"You had to stay very alert all the time. As soon as you go off the racing line it's game over."
Verstappen's incredible victory was his second in three races and Red Bull, boosted by Honda power, are gathering momentum as F1 speeds towards the summer break.
As well as securing those two wins, Verstappen has started on the front-row twice while he was only a tenth off a first career pole position at Silverstone.
"We just keep working hard and hopefully in the coming races we can start closing the gap [to Mercedes] even more," Verstappen said. "I think Austria was very crucial because it just lifted the whole team and Honda really believe that they can win races.
"This has been the perfect day and a good boost."
Why's Max so good in the wet?
Verstappen has built his reputation as a fierce racer in his five years in F1 - but also as a wet-weather master.
His performance in Germany follows a memorable show in Brazil three years ago, when he dazzled in the rain.
Max said he had a "lot of practice" in the conditions when he was younger, learning from his father Jos, the former F1 driver.
"He always gave me good tips," explained Verstappen. "And not only driving in the wet. It's also making decisions as well, while driving, and paying attention to what's happening around you.
"And, of course, experience. In life, in Formula 1. I think if you do over 90 races, you have experienced a lot already."
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