Hezemans: Verstappen looked sure nobody could catch him at Sepang

Max Verstappen’s first win of the season in Malaysia followed a poor start that Ruud Dimmers thought made the race more entertaining. Had the start gone cleanly, Dimmers said, Verstappen would have led immediately and pulled away; instead, he had to pass the other cars.

On RacingNews365’s F1 podcast, Mike Hezemans said Verstappen seemed convinced nobody could catch him or his Red Bull. He pointed to the weekend’s pole position, fastest lap and victory. Dimmers called the drive dominant in wet and drying conditions and behind the safety car, saying Verstappen made no mistakes. He also singled out the move on Kimi Antonelli as a moment that had the crowd on its feet.

Singapore is the next test. Dimmers said Red Bull has often struggled over the circuit’s bumps. Team principal Laurent Mekies offered a reason for optimism: Red Bull had expected Singapore’s slower corners to suit its car better than Sepang, citing its relative strength in low-speed turns. Mekies also said Sepang’s extreme heat, rough asphalt and layout may have left most cars outside their ideal operating windows and may have affected the competitive order.

Hezemans still expects Verstappen to win at least once more before the season ends, though he called Singapore difficult.