Grosjean hails Verstappen's 'miracle' title fight as 'most outstanding' drive of 2024

Former F1 driver Romain Grosjean has labeled Max Verstappen's 2024 season a "miracle," praising the Dutchman as the "most outstanding driver" for nearly overcoming a massive points deficit to fight for the title in Abu Dhabi. Despite finishing runner-up to Lando Norris, Verstappen's resilience from over 100 points behind after the summer break has been hailed as an inspirational performance.

Why it matters:

In a season where his Red Bull car was not the dominant force, Verstappen's ability to drag himself into championship contention is a testament to his driving skill and mental fortitude. It shifts the narrative from a season defined by car performance to one highlighting individual driver excellence, setting a benchmark for tenacity in the sport.

The details:

• Grosjean pointed to the Abu Dhabi finale build-up as "amazing," crediting Verstappen for creating the suspense despite the race itself being less thrilling.
• He emphasized that Verstappen "didn't have a good car" and "lost a lot of points" early on, making his late charge exceptional.
• The critical gap was after the summer break, where Verstappen found himself a staggering 104 points behind the championship lead before his resurgence began.
• Grosjean underscored the improbability, stating, "There was no world where he should have been in there and finishing only two points behind Lando Norris."

The big picture:

Grosjean contextualized Verstappen's 2024 effort within his career. While his 2023 title came in a dominant car, and his 2021 championship was a brutal fight, 2024 required a different kind of excellence—maximizing a less competitive package and staging an against-all-odds comeback. This season may be viewed as a purer demonstration of his talent than his prior championship wins.

What's next:

Verstappen's performance sets a high bar for 2025 and serves as a powerful lesson for the grid. Grosjean believes his drive has been "very, very inspiring for a lot of drivers," proving that titles can be fought for from seemingly impossible positions. The pressure is now on Red Bull to provide a car that can convert that driver brilliance into a championship from the start of the season.