Max Verstappen’s “unknown quantity” highlighted by F1 rival in title chase

Formula 1 championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli has labelled Max Verstappen an “unknown quantity” as he looks to close in on the world title at this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. 

Antonelli heads into the 15th round of the season in Azerbaijan with a comfortable 81-point buffer over Mercedes team-mate George Russell in the championship with nine scheduled races remaining. 

The 20-year-old Italian appears on course to become F1’s youngest-ever world champion after he took an eighth win in 14 races last time out at the Spanish Grand Prix, to further strengthen his grip on the title race. 

Antonelli made a point of highlighting the thing that impresses him the most about four-time world champion Verstappen this season. The Dutchman has not won a race this year so far and is 147 points behind Antonelli in the drivers’ standings. 

“Max has an incredible vision of the race and how to position the car. In a very short time, he can read a situation very well and find an opening to gain a position,” Antonelli told reporters in Baku. 

“With Max, there's always an unknown quantity, especially in free practice. You never know what his true potential is, because when it counts, he always manages to find something extra. It's fascinating to watch.”

Antonelli appears unstoppable as he continues to steamroll towards a maiden F1 world title, but that’s not how he sees it. 

“It's not over until it's over,” he insisted. “Until you cross that finish line, it's not over. It's like tennis, one point at a time, here one race at a time.

“Keep giving your best and keep trying to raise that bar, keep delivering results and see where we end up at the end of the year. 

“As we're getting closer, I've thought about the championship and stuff, but by thinking about it I’ve always come to the final conclusion that I need to keep driving like I am and delivering the results.

“The sooner it's over, the better it is. Still a long way and it's not going to be easy. It’s going to be intense but I’m ready to give my best and to keep having fun.”

On Mercedes’ prospects in Baku, Antonelli added: “I think it could be a good track for us but if McLaren have the upperhand, or Red Bull with Max or even with Isack [Hadjar], then it might be one of those weekends where you have to be satisfied with maybe a podium or a P4. Of course the goal is always to win but we'll see.

“You have no margin for mistakes, or very little, and it's going to be important to build up throughout the weekend, and when it matters to squeeze everything out of it. Always keep that tiny margin in case something happens. It is a cool track, very challenging. Hopefully we're going to be fast.”