Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen took time out of his high-stakes World Championship battle at the Brazilian Grand Prix to heap glowing praise on Nottingham Forest striker Liam Delap following his electric two-goal masterclass against Manchester City.
Ahead of Sunday’s high-drama race in São Paulo—where McLaren’s Lando Norris pipped the Red Bull driver to the top of the podium—Verstappen revealed that he spent his downtime glued to screen watching Oliver Glasner’s Forest side stun the football world with a 3-1 destruction of the former Premier League champions.
Forest tore City apart at a rocking City Ground, with Delap bagging a sensational brace alongside a strike from Brazilian defender Jair Cunha, reducing Rayan Cherki’s second-half effort to a mere consolation.
”A Really, Really Good Goal”: Verstappen Blown Away by Delap’s Magic
Speaking to media and fans after the final round of qualifying in Brazil, the multi-time F1 World Champion gave an unexpected shoutout to the 23-year-old English forward, admitting he was completely captivated by Forest’s physical dominance over Pep Guardiola’s side:
“I’ve lost 12 hours of my life that I won’t get back. I watched some Premier League football. Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, it was 2-1 to Forest… It’s 3-1 now, a really, really good goal by Liam Delap, it was a good match.”
Delap’s defining second strike—a ruthless, explosive finish that sent the John Robertson Stand into delirium—proved to be the knockout blow that ended City’s hopes of a late comeback at Trentside.
Delap Silences Critics to Lead Forest Out of the Mud
For Delap, earning rave reviews from one of the greatest drivers in motorsport history caps off a monumental weekend that has completely altered the trajectory of Forest’s 2026-27 campaign:
- Silencing the Doubters: After facing scrutiny during Forest’s five-game winless slump, Delap responded with his most clinical 90 minutes in a Forest shirt, bullying City’s center-backs all afternoon.
- Global Recognition: Putting Manchester City to the sword has catapulted Delap’s profile into the global spotlight, capturing the attention of sports icons far beyond the football world.
- Momentum for Glasner: With Jair Cunha locking down Erling Haaland at one end and Delap terrifying defenders at the other, Forest head into the international break with absolute sky-high confidence.
Unleashing the Talisman After the International Break
With no more international interruptions until March, Delap’s blistering form gives Oliver Glasner a world-class focal point in attack as Forest aim to surge up the Premier League table.
If Delap can maintain the clinical edge he displayed against Manchester City, Nottingham Forest won’t just be winning over F1 champions—they’ll be terrorizing every backline in English football.
