Verstappen's driving hailed as history in the making

AUSTIN, Texas — Max Verstappen is making history with every race and could stage one of the most remarkable fightbacks Formula One has ever seen, according to two team bosses who have worked closely with the four-time world champion.

The Dutch driver was 104 points behind McLaren's Oscar Piastri at the end of August and would have ridiculed anyone who seriously suggested he still had a chance of a fifth successive title.

"I would have told him he was an idiot," the driver told reporters on Sunday.

After three wins in the last four races, he is now 40 points behind the Australian — still a hefty amount — and very much a threat.

"For sure, the chance is there," Verstappen said of the title battle. "We just need to try and deliver these weekends until the end.

"We will try whatever we can. It's exciting," he added after his third win in the last four races and 68th of his career. In Austin alone he clawed back 23 points.

If Verstappen were to come out on top it would be an unprecedented turnaround, even taking into account changed scoring systems.

"I think watching Max driving is watching history in the making," Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies told reporters after Verstappen completed a perfect weekend with a US sprint and Grand Prix double from pole position.

"He surprises us every time he goes out on track. He surprises us with how much he's pushing us between one session and another, how much sensitivity he has for stuff that sometimes we can see, and stuff that, sometimes, we cannot."

Sauber principal Jonathan Wheatley, who was previously Red Bull's team manager and sporting director, agreed that Verstappen could make the impossible possible.

"You can never write Max Verstappen off. What an unbelievable, dominant weekend from Max," the Briton said. "It's a pleasure to watch.

"Max Verstappen is perhaps the best driver in the world ... if I was McLaren I'd be looking in my rearview mirrors."

Asked whether he thought Verstappen could make up the remaining ground, Wheatley said it was possible, as long as the points were there.

"Is it probable? Not normally. But Max tends to rewrite the rules to suit himself, and has done so his whole career," he added.

Verstappen told reporters the chance was definitely there.

"I know that we need to be perfect until the end to have a chance, so that's what we just need to focus on," he said.

"It's super close, and only attention to detail will make the difference. Trying to get the best setup on the car every weekend, and then try not to make mistakes. So that's what we'll try to do."

Starting in Mexico this weekend.

Piastri not concerned

Piastri said he still had full confidence in his ability to win the F1 championship, and no major concerns, despite a tough weekend in Texas that saw rivals slash his overall lead.

"You know, I've been in fights that were as close, or at this point, even closer than what they are now," Piastri told reporters, referring to his previous junior championships experience.

"I've got the evidence for myself that things can still turn out well, and I still fully believe that I can win the championship.

"This weekend has obviously been tough, and the gap has come down a little bit in the last few weekends. But, you know, again, performance is what's going to win you a championship, not just looking at points and seeing if you can increase it or decrease it.

"The faster you go, the more points you're going to score, and that's what I'll focus on."

Piastri played down the threat from Verstappen with the dream back on after looking impossible not so long ago.

Recognizing that he had simply not gelled with the car, Piastri said the problem seemed to be more in qualifying than race pace.

"I'd still rather be where I am than the other two," added the 24-year-old.

Reuters