Christian Horner hailed Max Verstappen as “almost un-human” after his latest Formula One triumph at the Chinese Grand Prix.
Verstappen won the China sprint race, then went on to win the Grand Prix.
It is Verstappen’s first victory at the Shanghai International Circuit, and he has won on 26 different circuits.
Horner commented on Verstappen’s performance, telling Sky Sports F1: “He has been in amazing form all weekend.
“The squad has been amazing, winning the sprint, securing pole position, locking out the top row for the race, and finishing first and third in the event. I felt like we were unlucky with the Safety Car. That’s how it goes.
“Max is on another planet.” His form is excellent. It varies from circuit to circuit, but he is completely at one with the machine. He has an incredible connection and understanding for the automobile, the feel, and the situations.
“He is confident in himself. He understands tyres, what they require, when they should be pushed, and how to save them. He has an extraordinary racing mind. His abilities are virtually unhuman. It’s a joy working with you. “He is writing history.”
Sergio Perez took third place, his fourth podium finish of the year.Perez finished second despite losing track position during the Safety Car phase due to Valtteri Bottas’ ailing Sauber.
Perez’s “strong weekend” nevertheless delighted Horner.
“We went into the race on a reasonably aggressive two-stop,” he said. “The Safety Car timing could not have been worse for us, especially Checo. We had to stop again and converge on strategy with a Ferrari and a McLaren, which cost Checo track position.
“It took him some time to pass Charles, which wore down his tyres. By the time he cleared Charles, his tyres weren’t in good enough shape to pursue Lando. Perez had another excellent weekend, earning a double-podium.
