SUTTON
The final question Verstappen needs to answer to be F1 champ
We’ve known for a long time that Max Verstappen has the speed to challenge for Formula 1 world titles. Now that he seems to have the car, the one question remaining is: can he rein himself in enough when required to avoid throwing points away in a championship fight?
Verstappen has never won a title in car racing but, as he tells Alex Kalinauckas in our frank interview on page 18, he has done so in karting. Not going for every gap can be key. It’s clearly something the Dutchman has thought about, and he believes it will be easier to fight for a crown in a competitive car than sniping for wins in a slower one.
One driver who has long since given up on the F1 dream – but does have some serious title successes to his name – is Raffaele Marciello. James Newbold speaks to the Mercedes GT3 ace about where the Italian’s single-seater career went wrong and why he is perfectly happy where he is now (p26).
Drivers on their way up used to be able to measure themselves against F1 stars in other categories, and we look back at the time when F2 played host to epic battles between new and established stars on p30.
The ambitious all-electric off-road Extreme E series kicked off last weekend. There were plenty of incidents and issues – and question marks over the visit to Saudi Arabia – but our correspondent Matt Kew judged it a success. Find out why on p38.
Kevin Turner Chief Editor kevin.turner@autosport.com
NEXT WEEK
15 APRIL The pressure on Mercedes We investigate the W12’s
issues and ask if they
can be solved
COVER IMAGES Red Bull, Hone/Motorsport Images
PIT & PADDOCK 4 Honda could find more F1 power 7 Lynn returns to Le Mans LMP2 field 8 Porsche sensation King to Supercup 10 Mercedes stalls on Formula E future 13 Opinion: Alex Kalinauckas 15 Opinion: Ferdinand Habsburg 17 Feedback: your letters
INSIGHT 18 Is Verstappen ready for the F1 title? 26 Mercedes GT3 star Raffaele Marciello 30 Hidden battles of the greats 32 Top 10 ‘F1 in F2’ races
RACE CENTRE 38 First Extreme E win to Rosberg Racing 45 World of Sport: Super Formula; MotoGP
CLUB AUTOSPORT 54 Strong entries for the start of UK racing 56 Ex-Anita Taylor Mini ready for return 58 7 Series Oulton races kick off MSVR year 59 Opinion: Marcus Pye 60 National reports: Donington Park; Castle Combe 64 How the GT Cup has grown
FINISHING STRAIGHT 68 What’s on this week 71 Chance of a lifetime: Townsend Bell 72 From the archive: 1953 Le Mans 74 In defence of: short race tracks
SUBSCRIPTION OFFER 16 Special deals for Autosport
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