Schumacher: Max Verstappen still has to fix the overtaking

• F1

Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher assures that world champion Max Verstappen still has to work on overtaking during the races because he has not convinced him so far that he knows the right moment to attack. At the opening of the 2022 season, a considerable number of overtaking was seen in two races, both at the top and in the middle of the grid, something that was required by the new change of rules in the new era of Formula 1.

However, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc and Red Bull's Max Verstappen came to the fore. Already during the first race at the Bahrain Grand Prix, these two drivers put on a great race. The two of them make the most of DRS zone detections to outwit each other.

In these situations, the leadership position in the race changes. If one crosses the other, there is an immediate return. Leclerc beat Verstappen on the Sakhir track, but that victory was not easy to win because the Dutchman was constantly in the rearview mirror, although in that part the Ferrari driver outwitted Max, letting him overtake, which led to tire consumption.

The same things were seen in the last race for the Saudi Grand Prix. Again wheel to wheel fight and use - looking for the least error in two rivals. This time the victory went to the Red Bull driver, but even here the effectiveness of the DRS was used to the maximum.

In the end, Verstappen crossed the finish line as the first place, but Leclerc was only half a second behind.

Schumacher on Max Verstappen

Former premier motorsport driver Ralf Schumacher assures that the world champion did not convince him that he had mastered overtaking.

He believes that the 24-year-old needs to improve his overtaking because he did not understand the way he tried to cross Leclerc in Jedi. "With Verstappen, it was noticeable in Jeddah that he tried to overtake three times before the 27th turn, although Leclerc could always fight back with the DRS at the start-finish direction.

That was incomprehensible to me, "Schumacher said in a column for Sky Germany. "I was just a little surprised. I thought Verstappen made a big step in the right direction last year with overtaking maneuvers. "It didn't work so well in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain," he added.

"Dr. Helmut Marko said that Verstappen planned it with his engineer, but I think it was very strange. " "In my opinion, he (Verstappen) still has to do something to improve because he almost destroyed the tires. It's also a pointless load for tires, "concluded Ralf Schumacher.