World Scout Jamboree disaster blamed on South Korean government    Hajj Ministry warns against fake companies    Saudi Arabia starting direct flights between Dammam and Najaf    Egyptian delegation arrives in Israel to revive deadlocked ceasefire and hostage talks    Minister of Defense celebrates graduation of King Abdulaziz military college cadets    TGA introduces uniform for bus drivers    Ministry uncovers misuse of mosque utilities during inspection    Health Ministry reports 15 food poisoning cases linked to one establishment in Riyadh    Saudi Arabia supports UNRWA's efforts for Palestinian refugees, urges donor commitment    Supreme Court appears ready to reject Trump's immunity claims    Indian voters battle extreme temperatures as intense heat wave hits region    'Zarqa Al Yamama': Riyadh premieres first Saudi opera    Riyadh Season announces first overseas event with boxing gala in Los Angeles    Al-Ahsa Airport to double capacity to accommodate 100 million passengers a year    Al Hilal's comeback effort falls short in AFC Champions League semi-finals    Belgian man whose body produces alcohol in rare condition acquitted of drunk driving    Australian police launch manhunt for Home and Away star Orpheus Pledger    Spice Girls reunite at Posh's 50th birthday    Swedish rider Eckermann wins 2024 Show Jumping World Cup in Riyadh    Aspiring fencer Josh Brayden aims for Olympic glory    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Wild and fearless Verstappen is just what F1 needs
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 30 - 08 - 2016

He's very fast, very young and very confident. He races on the limit, upsets other drivers and cares little when he does. He's also great for Formula One.
Max Verstappen may not be winning many friends among other drivers — especially those from Ferrari — but his aggressive, unapologetic, fearless driving is wonderfully entertaining for fans.
The 18-year-old Dutchman is the youngest to win a race and to start from the front row of the grid, and he's also just what F1 needs in an era of fading former champions.
Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button are all in their mid-30s. Although three-time champion Lewis Hamilton is clearly very much on top of his game, and his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg is highly competitive, both drivers are 31.
Verstappen's star factor drew more than 20,000 Dutch fans to the Belgian Grand Prix last weekend. Legions of orange-clad fans queued at the entry gates. Dutch flags were dotted around the Spa grandstands.
"He is refreshing for me. He is a young boy that I like a lot," Mercedes head of motorsport Toto Wolff said. "He comes in here, no fear, no respect. He puts the elbow out and it reminds me of the great ones. It reminds me of Lewis and it reminds me of Ayrton Senna."
High praise indeed, from Wolff, who might have added that Verstappen also has some of the brashness that typified seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher. Wolff has expressed regret that Mercedes was not able to snap Verstappen up before Toro Rosso did last year.
"You can clearly see that some guys around are starting to think twice how to overtake him," Wolff said, before adding a note of caution about Verstappen's high-risk driving. "I just fear that it might end up in the wall heavily one day. For me it is refreshing, but it is dangerous."
In May, Verstappen drove brilliantly to win the Spanish GP on his Red Bull debut — joining from feeder team Toro Rosso after just four races of this season — and he followed that up with three more podium finishes.
At the Belgian GP, his second place in qualifying set another record as the youngest driver ever to start on a front row of the grid.
His talent is unquestionable, but his attitude is, and the feeling in F1 circles is that Verstappen's tender age means he gets away with things that other drivers do not.
"The FIA has not penalized him. The only thing that happened was that he was given a hard time in the drivers' briefing," Wolff said. "Maybe next time he will have an even harder time in the driver briefing."
Especially from Raikkonen and his Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel.
Raikkonen criticized him after last month's Hungarian GP and again after the Belgian GP.
There was a high-profile tangle between Verstappen and both Ferraris on the first turn Sunday. Later in the race, Verstappen infuriated Raikkonen with some aggressive blocking moves when the 36-year-old Finn tried to get past him at high speed.
"Maybe it needs an accident before things get more clear to everybody," Raikkonen said. "Hopefully not because it can be bad for somebody, and nobody wants to see something like that happen."
Verstappen, however, appears to care little for reputation, does not get pushed around, and his vitriolic words match the intensity of his driving.
Blaming Ferrari, he was quoted as telling Dutch TV after Sunday's race "I'm not going to let them past, I'd rather force them off the track," reportedly adding "in the end I'm the victim." — AP


Clic here to read the story from its source.