Verstappen needs to think more carefully, says dad

Max Verstappen’s father Jos has advised the Red Bull driver to think more carefully after his recent botched overtaking manoeuvres drew criticism and calls to calm down.

The 20-year-old Dutchman was handed a 10-second penalty in Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix for colliding with Ferrari’s championship leader Sebastian Vettel, sending both cars spinning.

“That wasn’t possible,” former racer Jos told Dutch cable TV station Ziggo of the rash move. “It was an error of judgement. In some circumstances Max just has to think more.

“I don’t want him to change his driving style. He passed two people at the start. He did that perfectly. That’s what we all want to see. But we don’t want to see these kind of actions. He needs to have it under control. He needs to think.” Verstappen also lost ground when he tried and failed to pass Mercedes’ world champion Lewis Hamilton, with whom he had tangled in Bahrain a week earlier. The Dutchman had to retire from the race after that incident.

Verstappen might have won in China had he been less impatient, with victory going instead to Australian team mate Daniel Ricciardo who pulled it off with a series of thrilling overtakes.

“He messed up, took out the world championship leader and his team mate won it in an incredible way,” commented 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg said.