Nico Rosberg has conveyed a vital message, stressing the necessity for Max Verstappen to remain cautious and avert any inclinations towards self-satisfaction during his ongoing period of Formula 1 dominance.
Verstappen’s recent victory at the Belgian Grand Prix marked an impressive eighth consecutive win, solidifying his remarkable tally of 10 victories out of the 12 races held this season.
This outstanding achievement has propelled the Dutch driver to a substantial 125-point advantage in the championship standings, establishing a clear lead over his Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez.
As the F1 season approaches its summer hiatus, Rosberg’s advice serves as a reminder of the need for sustained focus and dedication to upholding this exceptional performance level.
In the midst of Verstappen’s seemingly relentless pursuit of a third consecutive world championship, former world champion of 2016, Rosberg, identifies a singular aspect that warrants his unwavering attention.
Speaking on Sky Sports podcast, Rosberg explained: “It’s more a general thing that he needs to be careful that he doesn’t get complacent.”
“He’s in such an incredible flow where no one can touch him, and that’s usually when there’s a risk of getting complacent and you lose a bit of motivation, so he just needs to be a bit careful of that.
“But I don’t see that happening because the state of mind that he has is phenomenal and he’s so focused and so in the zone all the time. It’s like art, it’s amazing.”
The Former German-FInnish driver who narrowly defeated his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to clinch the 2016 championship before promptly retiring from the sport shortly after, holds the belief that Verstappen should now be regarded among the pantheon of Formula 1 legends.
“Verstappen is driving in such a legendary way. I mean, he is driving like one of the best five or six of all time, in line with a [Ayrton] Senna, [Michael] Schumacher, [Lewis] Hamilton and [Juan Manuel] Fangio, and then you start to struggle [to think of more names] already,” Rosberg stated.
