Max Verstappen has hit out at Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff for his questioning of the "odd" gap in performance between he and teammate Sergio Perez.

Speaking last week, Wolff said that he found it "odd" and "bizarre", that the world champion put his car on pole while the Mexican could only manage seventh, 1.3s down.

"Bizarre," said the Austrian. "I mean, Checo is not an idiot.

"We have seen it all these years, Checo is a grand prix winner, a multiple grand prix winner," he added. "And he was a winner at Racing Point, so I cannot comprehend.

"We've seen that Max has destroyed every single team-mate that was with him. Whether it is his ability to create a car around himself that is just very tricky to control, but fast when you can control it, and that creates those gaps. But 1.3? I obviously haven't heard any explanations, but yeah, odd."

Job done, the blue touch paper lit, Verstappen took the bait.

"Bullshit comments!" he told reporters at Monza today. "It's not like that, I just drive the car the fastest way possible.

"I'm not there to tell the guys to give me more because that's how I like it," he added. "I just say 'design me the fastest car and I'll drive around that' because every single year, every car drives a little bit differently.

"People ask 'what is your driving style?'," he continued. "My driving style is not something particular. I adapt to what I need for the car to go quick. For me, what is very important is that you are able to adapt your driving style to what the car needs."

Like many drivers, Verstappen is driven by results not statistics, yet even he admitted that being on the cusp of becoming the driver with the most consecutive wins in the history of the sport is something special.

"I never thought that I would win nine in a row, first of all," he said. "Now that we are here, of course, I try to win ten, but it's more about I want to just win. It's not about the number ten in my head.

"Also that helps a lot to focus on the weekend," he continued. "It's already difficult enough different with the different tyre choices we have to deal with. We'll just get on with it and we'll see what happens."

Asked about when Sebastian Vettel reached nine consecutive wins, the Dutchman said: "I remember when he did it. I was like, 'wow! That's just a crazy number. No one ever will do something like that', and here we are. It is a crazy number, but I'm not really too fixated on it."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Rock Doc, 01/09/2023 3:26

"Some drivers are good in the race and others can nail the one lap. Perez is a good driver and has always been a driver good in the race. One of those tire whisperer. He had his time at Mclaren and blew it and then went to mid field. He has been around a while now and definitely in the latter part of his career.

He is race winner but never a Mr Saturday. I think he shows the real pace of the Red Bull. Max is just at that point in his career where he seems to do the impossible.

But still that was quite a margin. "

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2. Posted by kenji, 01/09/2023 1:58

"Firstly...Max is never far from a succinct and crushingly honest and candid response. Results are what matters and Perez is too inconsistent. Max is a relentless source....there's no mystery there. "

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3. Posted by Tyrbiter, 31/08/2023 20:49

"I don't really want to get into the Senna/Prost comparison, but I think it's fair to say that Alain's nickname "The Professor" was based on his racecraft rather than raw speed. You don't become a 4 time world champion unless you have serious talent.

There's no question that Max is fast and has matured as a driver in the last few years, but I do agree that Wolff is right to be puzzled about Perez to some extent. I don't think we've seen a consistent Perez in his F1 career, always a bit up and down."

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4. Posted by meatball, 31/08/2023 20:16

"Naysayers will never admit it but Tom, you hit the nail on the head. history has proven that assuming the team cars are the same, the best drivers will alway make clowns out of their teammate regardless of the teammates caliber. Endre's recollection of the Senna/Prost quali really says it."

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5. Posted by Chester, 31/08/2023 19:14

"@Tom2681, I have to agree that Verstappen is just that good. His comment to the designers to build the fastest car and he'll drive around it, says it all.

That is a rare talent."

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6. Posted by Endre, 31/08/2023 18:54

"@Tom2681 Do you remember him out qualifying Prost by 1.5s in Monaco? I'll never forget that :)"

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7. Posted by Tom2681, 31/08/2023 17:58

"Maybe Verstappen is just that good.
I'm old enough to remember Senna outqualifying Berger by a full second in the early part of the 1991 season.
And Berger was no slouch."

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Verstappen blasts Wolff for Perez comment

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