Sky F1 pundit pinpoints one remaining Max Verstappen weakness after third title win

Max Verstappen’s winning attitude may actually be his “Achilles’ heel” according to Sky Sports F1 pundit Naomi Schiff.

If you have ever listened to Verstappen speak for any extended period of time, it will become apparent pretty quickly that there is one thing that he wants to do more than anything else – win.

But while that has propelled him to three world titles, Sky pundit Schiff believes it could also be his “Achilles’ heel.”

Max Verstappen vulnerable to ‘risky situations’ says Naomi Schiff

There have been plenty of examples of Verstappen defying team orders if he believes it is to be in his best interest. The most recent example came in Sao Paulo last year where the Dutchman refused to yield a position to Sergio Perez despite the Mexican needing the points more than the already crowned world champion Verstappen.

It is this part of his build up that Schiff believes puts him in more “risky situations” than he needs to be.

“At the moment, you can’t really fault Max or the team,” she said on Sky Sports F1. “They’ve not put a foot wrong.

“Singapore was a special occasion where the car wasn’t quick, but besides that, the team has delivered every time.

“Max, I think, if anything, his wants and his hunger for more every time might be his Achilles’ heel because he’s put himself in some very risky situations where he maybe didn’t need to.

“But that’s the fighting spirit that we love to see and that I think is part of why he’s as quick as he is.”

Nico Rosberg, who joined Schiff on the broadcast, suggested that Verstappen was moving towards “the all-time greats” after his latest title win.

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“We’re witnessing absolute greatness,” the 2016 champion said. “He’s nearing towards the all time greats like Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Aryton Senna, those kind of names. It’s incredible the level he is performing at, the consistency, the accuracy. Unreal.”

As for the similarities between Verstappen and Rosberg’s old team-mate Hamilton, the German said he could see plenty.

“There’s a lot of similarities in terms of raw pace, I would say they’re very similar,” Rosberg said. “In terms of aggression, maybe Max is a little bit more aggressive. Although I mean, when you saw Lewis last race against his own team-mate, George Russell, I mean, he knows how to go wheel to wheel as well.”

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