The 2021 season finale cannot be talked about enough with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen putting on the greatest shows in F1 recent history. But Verstappen wouldn’t want to leave it as late as the last lap again. The events of the previous season were a learning curve for many people and Max Verstappen is no exception.

Currently, Verstappen is in a comfortable position as he sits atop the championship table with a 38-point lead. But the leader is aware of the fickle nature of the championship table. Verstappen was nowhere near the top at the beginning. However, fate turned, and now the then leader Leclerc is chasing Verstappen. Now, according to a former racing driver, catching Verstappen won’t be a straightforward task, especially after the previous season.

Gerhard Berger, the former Ferrari driver, believes the Red Bull man is a much better driver compared to last season. Berger shared this thought on Verstappen on the F1 Nation podcast.

When asked, “Do you think Verstappen races Leclerc in a different way to how he raced Hamilton last year?”

He replied, “I think Verstappen is even better than last year.” He added, “I think to win the championship it takes a lot of pressure away from you.” 

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Berger even pointed out the fact Leclerc has already made mistakes during races, which has cost him points. And when a driver is fighting for the championship, even a single mistake can cost them the ultimate reward. Although, the former racer did not stop there. He even predicted the outcome of the current championship.

Former racer makes his pick between Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc

Berger was full of praise for the Ferrari Monegasque over his pace and his qualifying performances. Despite all that, Berger sides with Verstappen for the current season.

He said, “But in terms of race speed, I see a small advantage for Max. He’s brilliant the whole race, using every opportunity that comes his way. He’s very strong on overtakes, wheel versus wheel and in his reading of the race. Combine that with Red Bull’s excellent strategy and pit stops and you have an unbeatable package.”

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As per the former Ferrari driver, the overall package that Red Bull has with Verstappen, Ferrari is lacking in Leclerc. Moreover, Ferrari is not on top of their game as well, with poor strategic calls hampering their chances. And everyone can agree that Ferrari needs to do better in that department.