Max Verstappen has made some bold moves all season. Running Lewis wide at Imola, around the outside at Portimao, then sent it down the inside in Spain. I could go on - but there has been a lot of chat saying that Max is TOO aggressive, so let’s take a look.

First, there are a few things that make up a ‘Max Verstappen’ move. He can be very, very bold on the brakes. He always seems able to send it from way further back than his competitors expect. And he does this a few ways.

Firstly, he often just plays a footrace - who can get to the apex first. This means he can brake much later than you would on a normal lap, carrying more speed in the braking zone, but then having to go slower through the corner.

Now, he wouldn’t do this on a normal lap, because it would be awful for lap time - this sort of dart to the apex, stop the car and then get on the throttle out of the corner - only works because it blocks the person being overtaken.

Max has done this in Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Abu Dhabi - among others.

Now, many would call this a divebomb. Where you make your opponent pick their line, pull out at the last second and brake later - ‘sending it’ basically. And some people seem to see this as an unfair move.

So, is divebombing bad? Well, in Max’s case - he is bold, but he never seems out of control and there is rarely any contact. He is extremely skilled at this move.

You will also see that Max (pretty much) always, will get FULLY alongside in this kind of move. Making sure to be level through the corner.

Where it wouldn’t be fair, and where I would call it an un-safe lunge, would be if you only get your nose alongside the car you’re trying to overtake.


At this point, the leading driver will be turning into the corner, and likely won’t see you in the mirrors. Whereas, if you do get alongside - they can see you in their peripheral vision - making the racing cleaner.

That to me is a fair move every day, I have done this a lot in my racing - and many other drivers have done it to me. Even back in karting, we used to send some epic divebombs.


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