Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft has defended 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Max Verstappen for his “over-aggressive” on-track behaviour,𒉰 describing the Dutchman as a “winner”.

Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive F1 drivers’ title in 2024, seeing off 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris’ late-season charge.

Iജt was arguably Verstappen’s most impressive season, given Red Bull’s struggles in the second half of the year.

Verstappen won seven of the opening 10 races, before c♌laiming victory in just two of the final 14.

Due to his points lead over Norris, Verstappen was able to go on the aggressive in their wheel-to-🌌wheel battles.

The Red Bull driver was hit with two 10-💧second time penalties for aggres💞sive driving in Mexico.

Croft was speaking at the Autosport International event in Birmingham and eng𝕴aged in a discussion with a fan.

Of Verstappen, the fan said: “He’s over-aggressive🐼 on track and he’s a petulant individual when it comes to other drivers.”

Croft replied: “Y𒅌ou are entitled to 🉐your view, sir, and I’m not going to disagree with you.

“He’s over-aggressive on track, and he’s petulant to the other drivers… which probably makes him a winner and a champion. Now, do we like champions? Do we like winners? We a𒊎ll have our favourites. I get that entirely.

“But the thing about Max is that he does what he does to win and to be a champion, and Red Bull is paying him to win and be a champion, so he’s doing what’s expected of him𝕴. I have no problem with that whatsoever. I like Max. I’ve always liked Max.

“I’ve liked him since he first drove🦩 in Japan FP1 [in 2014] because he’s got so much talent, and I appreciate the t✤alents.”

Croft draws Schumacher comparison

Croft sees similarities between Verstappen and Mich﷽ael Schumacher in how desperate they are to win in F1.

He feels Verstappen could be appreciated more as he’s “a bit of a winner”🍷.

“Michael Schum✃acher. We love Michael Schumacher. We love Lewis Hamilton,” he added. “They’re winners. They’re champions. We love Sebastian Vettel for all those years winning four titles as well.

“He did what he had to do to win as well. And if his teammate got in the way of that, and was collateral damage, as it were… so be it, that diꦡdn’t matter. He was a winner.

“ཧMaybe we just have to appreciate that Max is a bit of a winner. Maybe we should actually celebrate the fact that, for fou💫r years, he’s been at the top.

“Spain 2022 was the last time Max didn’t lead the drivers’ championship. Imagine getting out of bed every morning, trying to keep yourself on top for nearly four years𓄧. That’s a hell of a toll.”