Max Verstappen may have clinched his fourth Formula 1 drivers’ championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, but Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Mercedes’ George Russell believe the Dutch driver is not unbeatable. Both drivers have emphasized that under equal conditions, they, along with other top competitors, could challenge Verstappen’s dominance.
Verstappen’s performance in Las Vegas was far from flawless. Despite struggling for pace during the three practice sessions, he found his rhythm in qualifying, securing a fifth-place start. During the race, he battled to hold his position but eventually dropped off the podium, finishing in P4 after being overtaken by the Ferraris of Sainz and Charles Leclerc. While Verstappen’s podium finish was enough to seal the title, his inability to secure a top-three spot reflected the intense competition at the front of the grid.
In an interview after the race, Carlos Sainz acknowledged Verstappen’s remarkable abilities but pointed out that the second half of the season demonstrated that he, like all drivers, is fallible when under pressure. Sainz remarked, “As much as I think Max has done an incredible job this year, the second half of the season showed that when all drivers are in more equal machinery, we can all go up against each other. We all start making mistakes when the pressure ramps up.”
Sainz highlighted that in recent races, several drivers were within a tenth of a second of each other, emphasizing that Verstappen’s performance, while dominant, was not invincible. “When you don’t have a two- or three-tenth margin over your closest rival, the pressure increases, and everyone is human,” he added.
George Russell, who won the Las Vegas Grand Prix, echoed Sainz’s sentiments, asserting that Verstappen is not unbeatable. “Nobody’s unbeatable,” Russell said. “When teams and drivers are dominating, people think they couldn’t compete with them, but you’ve got to have belief in yourself.” Russell, who has previously raced alongside seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, expressed confidence in his own ability to challenge Verstappen, should they both have equal machinery. “I absolutely believe in myself that we could fight him in equal machinery,” Russell concluded.
Both Sainz and Russell’s comments underline a belief that in a level playing field, the competition at the top of Formula 1 remains fierce and unpredictable, with multiple drivers capable of challenging for the title. While Verstappen has proven exceptional this season, the growing sense within the paddock is that, under pressure, no driver is truly unbeatable.
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