Former Formula One steward Johnny Herbert used “Mind Game” to compare Max Burstappen to Michael Schumacher.
Verstappen returned to the top step on the F1 podium at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Dutch dominated the race from pole position, beating McLaren’s Randnoris for over 19 seconds.
After performing inconsistent results, it was a welcome return to Verstappen’s form.
After the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he finished 9th, Verstappen declared in 2025 that he would not win another F1 race.
Just a month later, Verstappen was hit by his third victory of the season.
Speaking to the adventure gamer, Herbert suggested that Verstappen is playing “Mind Games.”
Download the Crash F1 Podcast here
“The qualified performance wasn’t a surprise. That’s what Max does. When that opportunity comes down to his path, Max is always on,” Herbert said.
“I know he commented that long ago before the break, so he probably wasn’t planning on winning the race again this year. That’s the classic kind of thing Michael Schumacher said in his mind game.
“It can actually look like you and the car are gathering together, and you get the race wins he’s done this year like he’s done so far. Monza was that classic scenario. The car was good, or good enough.
“When it comes to using it in medium to high speed corners, it’s probably aerodynamic better. You’re not really there. It’s all about blowing up straights and being as efficient and fast as possible.
“If anyone got it right, there was always an outside chance. They were definitely in the fight and I think they were definitely in a situation where they could beat McLaren. I’ll throw Max into the scenario.
Red Bull “Listen” to Verstappen
One of the major factors behind Max Verstappen’s revival was his low-down strength setup gambling.
Verstappen ignored the advice of Red Bull’s technical chief Pierre Wache and chose less downforce than suggested.
That worked well when Verstappen scored a victory with the pole and scored a dominant performance.
“One of the things that hit me was that Red Bull seemed to have heard Max more than before,” Herbert explained.
“It was all based on data and the free practice they had on Friday, which is why they came up with a setup for that Sunday and strategy.
“But it seemed like there was a bit more emphasis on Max, and I liked it, so I think that driver work is a very important part of what it used to be.
“Again, driver inputs still prove to be very important. It worked and worked very well.
“His qualifying drive was the typical biggest of his game. The way he did it was simply a ‘amazing’ factor. It was unexpected, but that special Max is still a major threat. ”