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17:37, UK, Tuesday 25 July 2023
Nico Rosberg has hailed Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s dominance of Formula 1 in 2023 as „legendary” and says the world championship leader’s recent performances are „artistic”.
Verstappen won the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday, his seventh and Red Bull’s 12th in a row, with the latter breaking the McLaren record that had stood since 1988.
With both Verstappen and Red Bull holding huge leads in the drivers’ and constructors’ standings by 110 and 229 points respectively, the focus has turned to how many more records they can break together over the remainder of the season.
Reflecting on Red Bull’s performance in Hungary, 2016 world champion Rosberg said: Sky Sports F1 Podcast: „Let’s go with the legend as Red Bull beat McLaren’s famous historic record of 11 consecutive race wins. They now have 12, so it’s an incredible milestone.
„And Verstappen drives quite legendary himself. I mean, he drives as one of the top five or six of all time, along with (Ayrton) Senna, (Michael) Schumacher, (Lewis) Hamilton and (Juan Manuel) Fangio. [to think of more names] Already.”
Verstappen’s personal run saw him join Rosberg as one of five drivers to win seven consecutive F1 races, surpassed only by Sebastian Vettel, who won nine in a row in 2013, the Dutchman’s current streak.
Verstappen won in Hungary, making it Red Bull’s 12th in a row.
The 25-year-old’s recent form has been particularly impressive given the comparative struggles of his team-mate Sergio Perez, who has failed to qualify for the top eight in the last six races and has only finished on the podium twice.
„What an honor to be part of that sentence,” Rosberg said. “Seven in a row, yeah that was pretty cool.
„It’s really incredible, such a performance from Max. I said it in the interview with him after the race – I’m one of the people who can best judge his performance and the level of his driving at this moment.
„Yes, it doesn’t exactly make for the most exciting races at the front. But it’s well deserved because the position he’s in is incredible, so close to perfection all the time.
After 'smashing’ Verstappen’s trophy, Lando Norris pen has a lot of questions to answer.
„You have to compare with team-mate, see where Sergio Perez is. His best qualifying result in the last six Grands Prix was ninth in the same car, can you believe it?
„And Sergio is a good driver, we know he knows how to drive a race car. So Max is quite extraordinary.”
’Verstappen must be careful about complacency’
Verstappen will be looking to extend his and Red Bull’s streak at this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix and Rosberg has warned the Dutchman to be careful to avoid complacency.
„It’s very common that he has to be careful not to get complacent,” Rosberg said.
Verstappen felt he was 'very happy out there today’ after taking Red Bull’s record 12th victory at the Hungarian GP.
“He’s been on an unbelievable run where nobody can touch him and that’s usually the risk of complacency and you lose a little bit of motivation, so he’s got to be a bit careful with that.
„But I don’t see that happening because the mindset he has is unique and he’s very focused and in the zone all the time.
„It’s like art, it’s amazing.”
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Live Belgian GP schedule from Sky Sports F1
Thursday 27th July
2 pm: Drivers’ press conference
Friday 28th July
8.55am: Formula 3 practice
10am: Formula 2 practice
12pm: Belgium GP practice one (session starts at 12.30pm)
1.55pm: Formula 3 Qualifying
2.50pm: Formula 2 Qualifying
3.35pm: Belgian GP qualifying build-up
4pm: Belgium GP Qualifiers
6pm: Ted’s qualification notebook
Saturday 29 July
8.55am: Formula 3 Sprint Race
10.30am: Belgium GP Sprint Shootout set up
11am: Belgium GP Sprint Shootout
12.40pm: Formula 2 Sprint Race
2.30pm: Belgium GP Sprint build-up
3.30pm: Belgian GP Sprint
5pm: Ted’s Sprint Notebook
Sunday 30th July
7.25am: Formula 3 feature race
8.55am: Formula 2 feature race
12.30pm: Grand Prix Sunday – Belgium GP Build-up
2pm: Belgian Grand Prix
4pm: Checked flag – Belgium GB reaction
5pm: Dead Notebook
Next up is the Belgian GP, F1’s final race before the summer break – you can watch all sessions of the sprint weekend live on Sky Sports F1 from July 28-30. Stream Belgium GB and more now.