Max Verstappen's championship victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix could be the start of a new era of dominance, according to former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer. Whilst the Dutchman's win over Lewis Hamilton may have been controversial, Palmer has been impressed with Verstappen throughout the season and is keen to see what more both he and Red Bull can do going forwards. "You wonder where he can go from here now that he has his first title under his belt," Palmer wrote in his column for Formula1.com . "It's worth remembering that when Sebastian Vettel took victory for Red Bull in Abu Dhabi in 2010, to become the youngest ever World Champion, it was the start of a run four titles in succession for the German… "Red Bull have been rejuvenated this season and are absolutely at one with their driver, giving him their full backing when questions were asked, and deploying every possible tactic to maximise the Dutchman's efforts, as showcased by Sergio Perez's heroics on the weekend as well."
More dominance on the way?
Palmer believes that Verstappen's performance during the 2021 season, coupled with having his first World Championship under his belt, could potentially signal the beginning of a dominant run in the sport. "Had Verstappen not won this year, with his immense talent and determination, it would be inevitable his day would come at some point," Palmer said. "But with him winning now, you wonder what confidence he can take from it and where he can go. "For a driver who has demolished three successive teammates in three years and made only a handful of small mistakes in that time, you question what scope their even is for improvement - but if he can take his game onto another level from here, we could be about to see the start of a new era of dominance."
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