Max Verstappen performed admirably this season and clinched his fourth consecutive world championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Dutchman dominated the opening stages of the campaign, winning seven of the first 10 races before McLaren and Ferrari improved.
Verstappen didn’t have the quickest car throughout most of the season but consistently scored points, while his nearest rival, Lando Norris, made a series of critical errors.
The Red Bull driver managed the situation perfectly to minimise damage and not finish outside the top six at every race he’s finished so far.
Former Formula 1 driver Jolyon Palmer told the official Formula 1 website that Verstappen has an abundance of talent but needs to improve on one thing.
Jolyon Palmer feels Max Verstappen needs to work on ‘racing slightly fairer’ in a title battle
Verstappen has been uncompromising over his career in wheel-to-wheel combat since he made his debut with Toro Rosso in 2015.
The four-time world champion battled for his first championship in 2021 against Lewis Hamilton and took the lead aggressively at Imola and in Spain at Turn 1.
They made contact at Imola, which was just the second round of the championship as Verstappen outlined his credentials as a title challenger.
Verstappen stepped over the limit at times this season while racing with Norris, particularly at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Norris was urged to be more decisive when battling Verstappen who has built a reputation for being uncompromising in combat.
Some Formula 1 world champions over the decades have been similarly ruthless, particularly Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher.
READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer pinpoints the moment Max Verstappen was ‘feeling the pressure’ before fourth F1 title win
Both of those drivers were difficult to pass and got involved in needless incidents over their careers in F1 while winning titles.
Palmer explained Verstappen pushes the boundaries more than most other drivers on the grid when racing wheel-to-wheel.
He said: “In terms of ability he’s got everything and he’s consistent with it, there just aren’t any weaknesses.
“The only thing I’d personally like to see is him racing slightly fairer in the heat of a championship battle. You could argue that this is an asset of his, to be ruthless as well and push the limits, but he certainly does that more than other title contenders in recent memory.”
Max Verstappen may have a more difficult championship battle to deal with next season
Verstappen impressively won the championship with two rounds left, as he made very few mistakes this season.
Next year may be slightly more difficult if McLaren can start on the front foot and not play catch up like the start of 2024.
Ferrari have also been very impressive at times and may have a lot of renewed energy with seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton partnering Charles Leclerc.
Despite Verstappen’s excellent win in Brazil, Red Bull haven’t had the fastest car in dry conditions for the majority of the season which may be a concern.
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