Jolyon Palmer ‘amazed’ by the risk Max Verstappen took in F1 title fight against Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris

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The next few weeks are going to be some of the most exciting for Formula 1 fans in recent history as Max Verstappen attempts a crazy comeback.

The Dutchman, who was 104 points behind Oscar Piastri at one stage, has closed to within just 36 points at the top of the drivers’ championship. Everyone in the paddock, including Verstappen, had written his chances off at the summer break. Now he’s back, and his looming presence is terrifying for his rivals.

Red Bull are going to continue to develop their car, which could change the title dynamic and help shift the balance in their favour. For now, any decisions related to 2026 seem to be an afterthought for the team at the track. Their full focus is on claiming a fifth consecutive crown.

Verstappen is ‘certain’ his next teammate must be faster, and it’s the sort of thing that would be handy right now, if Yuki Tsunoda were quicker and able to back him up. Instead, Red Bull ‘internally’ don’t want to distract from the title charge, which means any call on a 2026 driver line-up will come weeks later.

READ MORE: Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris told how Max Verstappen will ‘intimidate’ them at the Sao Paulo GP

Jolyon Palmer thinks that Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are like ‘magnets’ to each other

It’s crucial that Verstappen is flawless over the next few weeks if he wants to end up in a position where he has a chance to compete during the Abu Dhabi title finale. That means taking advantage of every opportunity along the way, too.

At the last race in Mexico, he seemed aware of that idea. In an aggressive battle with Lewis Hamilton, both drivers ended up off the track, and it was a bit of a reminder of why their 2021 fight is remembered so well.

Jolyon Palmer has pointed out how the two drivers appear to have ‘magnets’ on track that draw them together in intense situations.

“He has [Lewis], but not necessarily with Max,” he said. “Even if you think back to the Brazil ’22, wasn’t it? Where Russell got his first win, and it was at the end of all of their ’21 season, where I had to say, Max was the cause of more contact than Lewis. They seem to be like magnets together.

“The same in Hungary, I’m thinking it was last year in Hungary, ’24, and again Max went for the dive, there was a contact between them, and just those two, not necessarily pointing fingers, but they seem to always find each other on the track. Max doesn’t actually have contact with that many drivers.

“Lewis very rarely has contact with other drivers, but if they’re going to have contact, it seems to be with each other a lot. And with all of that, that was the boldness of Verstappen’s move in Mexico, just because he has, I know less to lose than the McLaren, but still a potential championship.”

READ MORE: Alain Prost’s former teammate sees a clear reason why Max Verstappen is ‘the best ever’

Jolyon Palmer left ‘amazed’ by Max Verstappen’s risk amid F1 title fight with McLaren drivers

Considering that a retirement would kill Verstappen’s hopes off and give Lando Norris and Piastri an easier run to the finish, some of the moves he made in Mexico were particularly surprising.

In fact, Palmer admitted that he was left ‘amazed’ by the level of risk taken by the four-time champion in the context of the situation.

“I actually thought, on that topic, you’re absolutely right, and that all of these races, they will have as big a say as the performance out front as well. But I was amazed. Max’s move on Lewis, given the context, how punchy was that from so far back.

“A little bit of wheel banging. And, of all the drivers, you’re picking Lewis to be the one that you’re going to throw that move in, with all of their history, all of their contacts and everything.

“How Lewis, eventually tried to keep it in for turn two, and then cut the corner at turn four. But that could have so easily just ended in Max and Lewis, bit of a tangle, some damage, and the season is done there. It was brave from Verstappen to pull that one off.”