David Croft, the iconic voice of Formula 1, said Max Verstappen deserves more praise for a “brilliant” season, despite not possessing the fastest car, predicting him to seal the title in Las Vegas
Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has hailed Max Verstappen a “genius” and “one of the best drivers to race in Formula 1” as the Dutchman bids to win the title in Las Vegas this weekend.
Verstappen is gearing up to claim his fourth straight world championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Sunday – knowing he only has to beat McLaren rival Lando Norris to claim his latest triumph.
Norris has battled hard with Verstappen this season but the Brit recently admitted he “wasn’t ready” to compete with the Red Bull star, needing three more points than his rival just to keep the championship alive.
And Croft, the iconic voice of F1, said Verstappen deserves more praise for a “brilliant” season, despite not possessing the fastest car – predicting him to seal the title in Vegas, saying the “phenomenal” driver should get the plaudits if he does so.
“If he wins in Vegas again, as he did last year, and goes on then to win the title, brilliant. Well done Max Verstappen, what a fantastic performance,” he said on Sky Sports’ F1 Podcast. “And to be world champion in a year where he’s clearly not in the fastest car, it’s a brilliant, brilliant season.
“He is a phenomenal driver. Let’s just spend a minute or so saying [that] Max Verstappen [is a] genius driver, fantastic world champion, deserves to be a four time world champion, and – if he’s got the car next year that can compete – will surely be a five time world champion in the making.
“One of the best drivers ever to race in Formula One and we should not let anything else detract from that. I think he will win it in Vegas, I think it will be done and dusted there and what better place to hit the jackpot than in Sin City?”
His comments come after Norris candidly admitted he didn’t have enough in the tank to battle Verstappen for the title, saying he left it too late to pose a genuine threat.
He said: “I probably wasn’t outright ready to go up against Red Bull and Max. I think I am now now. But it’s probably too late. Max is one of the best drivers ever in F1. To go up against that person who is so good takes a bit more than what I have done this season. But since the summer break it is close to what it should be.
“I was definitely not at the level I need to be at the beginning of the year. Since the summer break, I feel I’ve done a very good job and performed very well, by far some of my best performances.
“I am not completely happy with what I’ve done but for the first time I feel I have got what it takes to fight for the championship.”
