Max Verstappen impressed with a mature showing at the Monaco Grand Prix, according to an ex- Formula 1 racer.
The Dutchman finished third in the principality, joining Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez on the podium as his Red Bull team-mate took the glory. While finishing outside the top two is a rare occurrence for him, he could at least enjoy the satisfaction of beating main title rival Charles Leclerc, who could manage only fourth.
Former F1 driver Allan McNish was left impressed by what he felt was a mature display in difficult circumstances. In the past the 24-year-old might have tried a risky overtake in conditions which would make his chances of success slim, but this time he was patient and settled for a still significant points haul.
Speaking alongside Verstappen's mother Sophie Kumpen on the F1 Nation podcast, McNish said: "The one thing I saw with Max [Verstappen] was someone that wasn't necessarily attacking for the last tenth or the last overtake that we have seen before. Someone that realised 'maybe I'm not quite quick enough this weekend to deliver a win' and is thinking [about the] long game."
He went on to speculate that his status as defending champion might have helped with the maturing process, adding: "It might be the person that's just won a world championship and knows he's already got one in his pocket, so doesn't necessarily have that little thing to prove. Not to everyone else, but very often to yourself.
"I certainly know from my point of view as a driver, it was proving it to myself as much as it was to proving it to anyone else. When he looked in the mirror at the end, after the restart, he had his main championship contender behind him.
"The person leading was obviously his teammate, so from that perspective it was a reasonably protected position. I would say he was in a good position whichever way it was, because he was ahead of Charles Leclerc."
Speaking after the race, Verstappen said he felt he had secured the best result possible given the circumstances, and praised his team for coming up with a strategy which once again allowed them to take home more points than their Ferrari rivals. "I did the best I could of course, after yesterday and once the course was blocked with the red flag," he said.
"As a team we did a really good job with the strategy to get ahead of the Ferraris, as a whole team we can be very pleased with the Sunday. It was a very hectic one with the rain and stuff but I think we executed it well. I extended my points lead, which I didn't expect last night so I think that's a positive."
Verstappen leads the drivers' championship with 125 points, nine ahead of Leclerc who endured a frustrating race as his chances of victory vanished with a crucial pit stop error. Race winner Perez appears to have also entered the title race, and is now just 15 points behind his team-mate in the standings.
