P1racenews AI automatic summary:
It is now seven races without a win for Max Verstappen, leading to a strong conclusion from one F1 champion.
Max Verstappen has been criticized for his lack of competitiveness, as he continues to struggle in his quest to become a four-time F1 champion. Verstappen’s winless streak has now extended to seven races, with only two podium finishes during this period, allowing his lead over Lando Norris to shrink to 59 points with 206 still available. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix almost marked a low point for Verstappen, who was running in seventh place with two laps to go, facing his worst finish since the 2022 Singapore GP. Teammate Sergio Perez’s late crash with Carlos Sainz prevented this from happening, in what has been a challenging season for Verstappen after a strong start. Verstappen’s struggles in Baku included being outqualified by Perez for the first time in 33 races, expressing concerns about his car’s balance and various issues with its performance during the race. F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve noted that Verstappen seems less aggressive and motivated recently, suggesting that the pressure of his winless streak might be affecting him mentally and on track.
