Ralf Schumacher perplexed by Max Verstappen: 'I have to take that back!'

Ralf Schumacher has been forced to eat his words after Max Verstappen delivered a commanding victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, defying the former F1 driver's pre-race predictions.

Following the introduction of a new floor for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, Verstappen has claimed back-to-back victories for the first time in 15 months, propelling him to an outside chance of winning a fifth consecutive drivers' title.

In Baku, Verstappen delivered a consummate performance to claim the sixth grand slam of his career by taking pole, fastest lap, and leading every lap en route to the 67th win of his F1 career.

Schumacher had suggested before the weekend that victory would prove difficult for the 27-year-old, citing Verstappen's historically weaker performances at the circuit.

"From my perspective, that's the biggest surprise," Schumacher told the podcast Backstage Boxengasse. "But anyway, what do I care what I said earlier? Of course, I have to take that back!"

The German highlighted how different this year's result appeared compared to previous seasons.

"I didn't expect it, because in previous years Sergio Perez was close to Verstappen," he remarked. "Last year, he performed better in qualifying, something that rarely happens with Max. You just have to admit that, and the car wasn't that good then either."

Schumacher then praised both the driver and his team for their transformation.

"It was all going super," he said. "Of course, his performance was grandiose, but Red Bull also did an excellent job.

"If you take the numbers as a yardstick, Max, even compared to the rest of the year, did a great race."