F1
Nate Saunders, General Editor, F1 6y

Max Verstappen must change his racing style, says Niki Lauda

Formula 1

Three-time world champion Niki Lauda says Max Verstappen must change his driving style if he wants to win a Formula One title. 

Verstappen clashed with Sebastian Vettel in the closing stages of the Chinese Grand Prix as Red Bull's cars charged through the field. The Dutchman would later apologise to Vettel and went on to call the race a "life lesson", admitting the incident came from pushing too hard after a frustrating start to the season.

Lauda, who is now Mercedes' non-executive chairman, says the onus is on the Dutchman to change his ways.

"It was completely Max's fault," Lauda told Press Association Sport about the Vettel incident. "When you compete in more races you should get more clever -- especially when you want to win or challenge for the championship - but he is going the other way. He needs to sort himself out. Nobody can help him."

Despite being just 20 years old Verstappen -- the youngest driver to ever claim a race victory -- is in his fourth season of Formula One. Lauda echoed the post-race comments of Vettel by saying he can no longer use youth as an excuse. 

"He is not young. He is old in Formula One now so he is like everybody else. It is not necessary because it hurts him as well."

The incident earned Verstappen two penalty points on his superlicence, moving him on to five for the current time period. A driver is automatically given a one-race ban if they accumulate 12 over a 12-month spell. .

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