Verstappen 'ready to take on' Hamilton for Brawn

Second last Sunday at the finish of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Max Verstappen took third place in the 2019 Drivers' Championship under the noses of the drivers Ferrari and in particular Charles Leclerc, his main rival for the place of best of the others behind the duo Mercedes Lewis Hamilton - Valtteri Bottas.

The best accounting season for the Dutchman, with a record of three victories, but also greater consistency in his results. Consequence of an alliance Red Bull – Honda which is bearing fruit, with a Japanese Power Unit making clear progress in terms of performance and reliability.

So Max Verstappen potential rival of Lewis Hamilton in 2020? That’s what Ross Brawn, director of Motor Sports at Liberty Media, thinks. “Perhaps most significantly, we saw fewer errors from him, which in the past were mainly due to his impatient nature, admits the former technical director of Ferrari.

These hotheaded episodes have cost him dearly in previous seasons, but this year those moments have been few and far between. He is undoubtedly now in the best shape of his career to date and he is now ready to face Lewis Hamilton »

Brawn does not forget, however, that the postman car will remain essential if we hope to see Verstappen regularly playing at the forefront against the Mercedes, who have been able to overcome the Ferraris over time this season.

“Of course he needs a car that can do that, which hasn't been the case at the start of this season, recalls Brawn. However, the Red Bull-Honda partnership has progressed over the course of the season and is now starting to produce results that suggest it will challenge for championships in 2020.

Discover the full report and analysis of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, produced by our special correspondent on the Yas Marina Circuit, in AUTO issue 2245hebdo, available now in digital version, and on newsstands tomorrow.