“It Could Stop Talents From Getting Into Formula 1”: Max Verstappen Voices Opinion on Mohammed Ben Sulayem FIA’s Minimum Age Rule

Max Verstappen holds the record for being the youngest driver to compete in an F1 race. This was when he was just 17 years and the news broke out like wildfire. Everyone immediately questioned if it was right to let someone who was not 18 drive an F1 car. Similar questions are surfacing again as Mercedes has been pushing for Kimi Antonelli’s super license so he can get up to speed to replace Lewis Hamilton.

It was right after the Red Bull driver entered F1 that the ‘Verstappen Rule’ came to be. Now Mercedes has appealed to let Antonelli enter the sport using Max Verstappen as an example and here is what the 3-time world champion had to say about this.

Max Verstappen supports Kimi Antonelli’s entry to F1

Max Verstappen got vocal about Mercedes’s appeal as he is the reason the 18 and above rule came into existence. He spoke to RacingNews365 about the rule saying that, “It could stop talents from getting into Formula 1.” He believes that as long as the driver has received 20 super license points, they should have the merit to drive in the top tier of Formula racing.

Verstappen added, “Look, if someone is 17 or 18 and he has 20 [super license] points, but he is very fast. Then why can’t he get into Formula 1? They have to pick up those 40 points first. I’m not a fan of that whole system, but in the end, the FIA has to think it’s okay. But I’d rather not have it.”

He understands that the rule is in place for the safety of young drivers, but made it clear to Mohammed Ben Sulayem that age should not play a role in the selections for the sport. Being the youngest driver to race, take a pole position, and win a race, Max Verstappen stands by his thoughts of age not playing that huge of a role once the driver has proved himself with the super license points.

Currently rumored to replace Logan Sargeant at the Imola race, and Toto Wolff came to put an end to all the rumors.

Toto Wolff breaks silence on Kimi Antonelli’s Williams Seat

When Toto Wolff appealed to the FIA to grant Kimi Antonelli his super license, many believed that it was to put him in Williams. Why Williams and not Mercedes when there is an empty seat? This is so because Wolff would want him to get used to an F1 car before trying to fight for championships. And until he is ready, Wolff needs a placeholder for Antonelli before he walks in the footsteps of Lewis Hamilton.

While these are the rumors that are running all over the paddocks, Wolff shut them down by saying, “This is not going to happen. This is not something that Mercedes wants. These rumors have gotten their own spin. Let’s do Formula 2.”

Further, Wolff announced that the rumors of Sargeant being replaced at Imola are untrue and that Antonelli will not be racing this season in F1. But the question lies, why appeal for an early license if there are no plans of giving him a seat?

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