Palmer Praises Verstappen: “He Doesn’t Make Stupid Mistakes”

Jolyon Palmer has praised Max Verstappen after the Brazilian Grand Prix, highlighting the Dutchman’s extraordinary car control during the Sprint. The former Formula 1 driver and current F1 TV analyst was impressed that Verstappen managed to keep his car out of the wall in Turn 3, where Oscar Piastri failed to do so.

Piastri was unable to save his McLaren after hitting the wet patch on the outside of the corner. Palmer believes Verstappen’s ability to survive the same moment proves why he

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ranks among the best drivers of all time. The Dutchman produced a phenomenal weekend at Interlagos, gaining sixteen positions on Sunday.

Verstappen Pushes the Limits

“We’re seeing more and more drivers pushing right up to the limit,” Palmer said on F1TV. “And then it becomes a skills test. Can you keep the car on track? How precise are you? How far into that gutter do you dare go? How close do you stay to the white line? The millimetres matter, and your pure skill level matters too. Your reactions and your control of the car — everything comes into play.”

Palmer explained that Verstappen flirted with disaster but had the ability to rescue the moment. “When Max came through, he also went over the kerb, into roughly the same area as Piastri, right into the gutter. You could see the spray kicking up. Max had a huge moment. The steering wheel was completely alive in his hands — an enormous slide, a heart-in-mouth situation. For a second, it looked like he’d be the first to follow Oscar into the wall, but he held it.”

Verstappen ultimately finished fourth in the Sprint.

“Verstappen Sets the Example”

Palmer called Verstappen a role model for other drivers. The Dutchman proved his class again after Lando Norris sprayed water across the edge of the racing line, causing several drivers to crash in the same lap.

“For me, this was another example of Verstappen’s immense skill and natural ability to keep the car on track,” Palmer said. “It’s so easy for drivers to make a mistake there. The fact that three of them crashed in the same lap shows it wasn’t a stupid error. They were all right on the limit. In that sense, you could say it’s partly bad luck. But there’s always something that separates the very best from the ones who do make those mistakes.”