Esteban Ocon firmly believes that Max Verstappen is sometimes too harshly criticized in the media and in the paddock for his aggressive racing style. Despite having clashed with Verstappen on and off the track, he holds a great deal of respect for his Dutch peer.
“Max is one of the best drivers the sport has ever seen,” asserts the French Haas driver. “Everyone knows that he naturally possesses incredible speed, that he is highly skilled with the car, and that he races instinctively when he makes a move. He has always done this, even during his karting days when we often competed against each other. Max has the pure, raw talent needed to succeed. But there is never any politics behind his aggressive racing style, that’s just how he races.”
“Max pushes the boundaries and sometimes he crosses them and it backfires, but then he admits it,” says Ocon, referring to Verstappen’s clash with George Russell earlier this season in Barcelona. “I think Max is an incredible driver and I don’t think he should be criticized as heavily as he sometimes is.”
