F1 BALLET: ANTHONY DAVIDSON EXPLAINS WHY MAX VERSTAPPEN IS ABU DHABI'S PEAK
Sky F1's Anthony Davidson called Max Verstappen's driving "ballet," explaining why his smooth style makes him the peak threat in the Abu Dhabi title showdown.
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This weekend, the 2025 Formula 1 champion will be decided, and Anthony Davidson believes Max Verstappen is entering the Abu Dhabi race at his peak.
The current world champion has a shot at his fifth F1 title, but he needs to overturn Lando Norris’ 12-point lead.
After 23 races, it all comes down to the 58 laps at the Yas Marina circuit this Sunday.
Anyone could win, and it’s really anyone’s guess until the race is over.
Max Verstappen might be trying to get into his rivals' heads, but Anthony Davidson thinks the Dutchman already showed his superiority during FP1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Anthony Davidson praises Max Verstappen’s driving style before the F1 title showdown in Abu Dhabi.
Davidson, a commentator for Sky Sports F1, was impressed while commentating on the first practice session that featured young drivers. He was full of praise as Verstappen appeared on screen during a fast lap.
The ex-F1 driver talked about Verstappen’s driving, saying, “You’ve got the grip, you’ve got the grip, then you haven’t got the grip. Max can sense that.
“He can ride right on that edge because he’s used to the car feeling like that. He’s smooth, and that’s why I think he does better on tracks like this.
“No one’s perfect, and I don’t think street circuits suit his style.
“His style is naturally smooth. Sometimes on street tracks, you have to manhandle the car to get it to do what you want.
“Max isn’t really that kind of driver. He has a natural feel for when the car might lose control, which others don’t.
Davidson also likened his precise driving to ballet, adding, “He flows from one corner to the next.
“Like a slalom skier or a ballet dancer, he does it all from inside the car, which is hard to see if you’re not trained.
Lewis Hamilton’s reaction to Max Verstappen winning the Qatar Grand Prix
“How is Max only 12 points behind? Max won? Wow, I didn’t know.
“Seriously? I thought Piastri won; I had no clue.
“Lando was fourth? Where’s Piastri? So Oscar’s third now? It’s going down to the wire!”
“We all know Max is amazing. He’s got an awesome team behind him, and there’s no denying they’ve had the best car for the past four years.
“Maybe not so much at the start of this year, but they turned it around. He’s clearly got a great car and does a wonderful job with it, so I can’t fault him.”
Lewis Hamilton’s reaction to finding out Max Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
