Verstappen's recent form bodes well for 2019 F1 championship

The way Max Verstappen has driven recently offers encouragement of a more open Formula One title race next year.

Verstappen has been in typically daredevil form, with some overtaking moves of the highest class, and the Red Bull driver is aiming to sign off the season in style at this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

F1 needs him to carry over his form into 2019, too.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, of Netherlands, celebrates finishing second in the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP PhotoAndre Penner)

Because each year since 2014, the championship contest has been between Lewis Hamilton and one other driver: his former Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg and more recently Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel. Although two of those championships went down to the last race — Hamilton won in '14 and Rosberg in '16 — it was always a two-way contest. This year and last, Hamilton beat Vettel into second place, with everyone else lagging behind.

Given that Vettel's title wins with Red Bull from 2011-13 were overwhelming victories, there has not been a wider contest with multiple drivers since 2010, when several fought for the title heading into the season-ending desert race under floodlights at Abu Dhabi. Vettel won that dramatic race for his first F1 title.

But Verstappen has finished this season so strongly he has surpassed Vettel and even matched Hamilton, which bodes well for 2019.

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, of Netherlands, steers his car followed by Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen, of Finland, during Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Interlagos race track in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP PhotoNelson Antoine)

Over the past four races, Verstappen has had four podium finishes including — a win in Mexico — for 76 points compared with 77 for Hamilton in the same span. But the tally would have been 83-70 in Verstappen's favor if not for a reckless attacking move by French driver Esteban Ocon in the latter stages of the Brazilian GP two weeks ago.

Although he was already lapped and had no points to fight for, Ocon stubbornly refused to let race leader Verstappen past him and they tangled on the track , sending Verstappen spinning back to second and pushing Hamilton to first. It led to a heated incident after the race, where an irate Verstappen squared up to a grinning Ocon and shoved him three times in the chest before pointing an angry finger at him as he eventually walked away.

Verstappen's actions drew criticism from some observers, but they also highlighted the 21-year-old Dutchman's fiery will to win. Despite his young age he already has five GP wins to his name, including two this season.

Hamilton's Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas, has not won a race this season despite having a quicker and considerably more consistent car.

It fuels the view that Verstappen, in a Ferrari or a Mercedes, would already be a serious title contender now.

He is fifth in the standings, but could overtake Bottas and move up a spot at this weekend's Abu Dhabi GP. Verstappen is also more than 60 points clear of his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo, the senior driver, although the margin is blurred by the fact both have been undone at times this season by engine problems.

Verstappen has failed to finish four races while Ricciardo's wretched luck has seen him retire from eight races. Yet both have managed to win two races each despite the car's inconsistent nature.

By contrast, Hamilton has finished every race except for Austria in July, and Bottas has finished all but two, underlining the more reliable Mercedes.

The complex engine problems ultimately forced Red Bull to split with Renault as its partner and choose Honda from 2019. Yet there is no little irony in that switch now, considering how strong Verstappen has been in recent races when his engine has held up.

It is a risky move for Red Bull to partner with Honda, considering the complications of the McLaren-Honda partnership in recent years.

But Red Bull is optimistic Honda has sorted its problems out and will provide a more powerful engine than Renault.

If so, Verstappen could well be pushing Hamilton and Vettel hard for the 2019 title.

More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/tag/apf-AutoRacing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bryce Young is back in as Carolina's starting quarterback.

Panthers coach Dave Caneles said Young would start Sunday against the Denver Broncos after Andy Dalton was diagnosed with a sprained thumb on his right throwing hand sustained during a car crash on Tuesday in Charlotte.

Dalton did not practice Wednesday and is listed as day to day. There is a chance he could be the No. 2 quarterback this week depending on his recovery.

“Bryce has been an absolute stud through this whole process. He has been engaged,” Canales said. “He has been involved in what we were doing and is excited about the opportunity."

Young said Canales has not told him who will be the team's starting QB moving forward if he plays well this week.

The Broncos have the league's fifth-pass pass defense.

Canales informed Young of the decision to start him on Tuesday night after Dalton was checked out by the team's medical staff. However, the team chose not to announce it until after practice.

The start will give Young, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, another opportunity to prove himself before the Nov. 5 trade deadline. He is 2-16 as an NFL starter and was benched two games into the season because of his ineffectiveness.

He was replaced by Dalton, who won his first start but has lost four straight since.

“I’m fired up for him to have another opportunity and just get in there and play some football,” Canales said of Young.

Young said it has been “challenging” being demoted and watching mostly from the sideline over the last five games. He has gotten mop-up work twice since being benched.

“I had to lean on my faith, lean on the people in this locker room and lean on family,” Young said. “I’m super grateful where I am at. ... There is stuff that is out of my control and stuff that will go well in life and stuff that won’t. But there is a lot of things in my life that I’m super grateful for and through good and bad I want to focus on that outside of football.”

Dalton said he and his wife had just picked their three children from school on Tuesday and he was driving at the time of the two-car crash. His family did not need to be go to the hospital.

“All things considered I am glad that I am feeling how I am feeling and that my family is feeling how they're feeling,” said Dalton, who had his right hand wrapped in an elastic bandage. “I am thankful for the Lord's protection. It was obviously a scary deal and you never want anything like that to happen.”

Dalton said the driver of the other car also escaped serious injury.

“The good thing is everybody is safe,” he said.

Dalton did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The Panthers did get some good news on Wednesday as veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen returned to practice after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Landover, Md. The Commanders 40-7. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14) talks Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota (18) after an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Landover, Md. The Commanders 40-7. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young throws a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Landover, Md. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)