Valtteri Bottas has claimed Max Verstappen "will need the car" beneath him if he is to continue to win F1 drivers' championships. In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365 , the new Mercedes reserve driver spoke glowingly about the Dutchman, but highlighted that future success will be contingent upon Red Bull delivering a car befitting Verstappen's talents. The 27-year-old waltzed to the title in 2022 and 2023 as the Milton Keynes-squad produced dominant packages for the 63-time grand prix winner to utilise. However, Verstappen's most recent crown was a significantly more hard-fought affair, with just two victories in the final 14 rounds of last season. Bottas, who has rejoined the Brackley team after being let go by Stake at the end of the year, emphasised the increased competition facing Verstappen when sharing his thoughts on the four-time F1 drivers' champion. "It's tough to battle with him," the 35-year-old remarked. "He doesn't leave any room [and] you know he's never going to back out. "Everyone knows that racing against him, he's super consistent, he doesn't really do any any mistakes anymore, unlike earlier in his career, which is natural, but now he's in his prime. "He's super quick, talented, and now he has the experience and confidence as well, so he's a really, really tough driver to beat. "But, of course, in the future, he will need the car as well, as we've seen this year with different winners."
After referencing the seven different grand prix winners seen throughout the previous campaign, the Finn built upon his praise of Verstappen. In doing so, he singled out the qualities he believes the Red Bull driver's success in F1 has been predicated on - and what sets him apart from the rest. When asked if the fact Verstappen does not back down is what makes the Dutchman one of the best, Bottas replied: "Probably - and the consistency. "In any scenario, he can always pull a lap [together]. And also his race craft is always really, really smart. "So just overall, [he is a ]pretty complete package, and that's why he's won the [F1 drivers'] championship so many times."
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