Albers Lauds Verstappen's Grit in Red Bull Triumph at Brazil

Christijan Albers hails Verstappen’s remarkable Brazilian GP win, citing skill over luck.

Albers describes himself as “deeply proud” of Max Verstappen, whose performance in Brazil transcends the boundaries of mere sporting achievement.

For Albers, this feat exemplifies the resilience of a champion who has prevailed despite relentless criticism from the British media and the imposing challenge of a faster McLaren.

Here, according to the analyst, lies the essence of true excellence: a talent that, in the face of doubts and headwinds, transforms adversity into brilliance. In this light, the jubilation within Red Bull Racing’s technical team appears both justified and symbolic—a celebration of the champion’s indomitable spirit.

Having previously worked alongside Gianpiero Lambiase, Albers now admires the dream team that Lambiase forms with Verstappen.

“Gianpiero’s always on top of things, as is Red Bull,” Albers commented on De Telegraaf‘s Formula 1 podcast, crediting Verstappen’s decision to forgo a pit stop more to his skill than to luck. “When you’ve already seen a few drivers spin out, you can bet a red flag might come, giving you a free pit stop. There was nothing to lose.”

From the start of the race, teams anticipated a heavy downpour. Many drivers immediately pitted for new tyres at the first sign of rain, but this proved to be a mistake as overtaking remained difficult, and a red flag became inevitable. “When it rains that heavily, you know a pit stop isn’t necessary, and they made the right call by staying on track,” Albers observed.

This year, Red Bull’s race wins have come solely through Verstappen, while the other top teams have won with both drivers. After a winless streak since the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen secured a significant triumph in Brazil, putting Red Bull back on the top of the podium. However, Albers feels this victory is more about Verstappen himself than about Red Bull: “This has nothing to do with Red Bull. This is a driver on the same level as Ayrton Senna or Michael Schumacher, who just happens to hold a Dutch passport.”

Expressing admiration for the champion, Albers states, “We have every reason to be immensely proud of him because he delivered yet another phenomenal performance. No matter the car’s speed, as we saw with Alpine, he’s simply remarkable.” Verstappen finished with nearly a twenty-second lead over Esteban Ocon.

Ocon Dares, Verstappen Thinks

Albers also delves into the mentality difference between Verstappen and his former Formula 3 rival, Esteban Ocon. “Sometimes, Max holds back where Ocon just goes full throttle, which is insane. Ocon has absolutely no fear,” Albers notes. Verstappen couldn’t afford to take such risks, with his eye on the world championship, whereas Ocon was simply gunning for a moment in the spotlight. Despite this, Ocon’s second-place finish came as a surprise.

“I was impressed by how Max let Ocon open a seven-second gap when the rain really came down,” says Albers, admiring Verstappen’s prudence against the risks Ocon took. “Max kept his cool and delivered a race worthy of a true world champion.” Since becoming champion, Verstappen has not retired due to a mistake, with his last error-induced DNF occurring in Italy in 2021 after a clash with Lewis Hamilton.

British Media

Albers makes no secret of his pleasure at seeing Verstappen put the British media in their place with a spectacular comeback. “The English media always back McLaren and their drivers just a bit too much. At some point, it becomes almost unhealthy,” Albers remarks, empathising with the Verstappens’ frustration at the continuous criticism. “The first few times you brush it off, but when it lasts the whole year…”

Albers concludes by emphasising Verstappen’s importance to this victory: “When you perform so well, it’s only natural to feel a huge sense of relief and want to say ‘thank you, but no thank you’ to all those doubters. In recent races, Red Bull has struggled, but this triumph in Brazil was purely down to Max. The ‘Max factor’ transformed the race, not the car.” For Albers, Red Bull may not be the favourite in the remaining races, and he fears McLaren will struggle under pressure. “McLaren lacks the tenacity and aggression you see at Red Bull. It’s that hunger for victory that sets the greats apart.”

In sum, Albers celebrates Verstappen’s performance as a striking testament to his status as a world champion, a race where he demonstrated resilience against both pressure and criticism.