OMNISPORT

Max Verstappen does not need to change his aggressive driving style but must think more, according to his father Jos.

The Dutchman has had an incident-packed start to the season - his desperation to regain the place he lost to Kevin Magnussen early in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix led to a spin that saw him finish sixth, before a coming together with Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain preceded his retirement.

Verstappen was then involved in another high-profile flashpoint in China this weekend, the Red Bull driver running into the side of Sebastian Vettel after spotting a gap that was not there. That error in judgement earned Verstappen a 10-second penalty, which demoted him to fifth behind Lewis Hamilton.

Jos has urged his son to heed the painful lessons he has learnt this season. Speaking on Dutch TV channel Ziggo's Peptalk show, he said: "The overtake on Vettel really wasn't on. That wasn't possible. It was an error of judgement. In some circumstances Max just has to think more.

"I don't want him to change his driving style. He passed two people at the start. He did that perfectly. That's what we all want to see. But we don't want to see these kinds of actions. He needs to have it under control. He needs to think.

"I'm seeing him tomorrow. Last weekend was very painful, but we'll have to talk about it and analyze what happened in a normal way.

"This can't happen. He already knows it, I don't have to say much. Mad is not the right word, but I'm disappointed. But it's the most painful for himself."