Verstappen vs Senna: Is Max Reaching Legendary Status in F1?
Oct.9 - With the championship now all decided and a full five grands prix left to run in 2023, column inches will be full of the proposition: Is Max Verstappen the best Formula 1 driver of all time.
F1 legend Gerhard Berger, a friend of the Red Bull team, is arguably best known for being teammate at McLaren to the great Ayrton Senna.
The Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport asked him: is Verstappen even better than his fellow triple-world champion Senna was?
"I've always seen Senna as the greatest of all time," Berger said. "But I have to say that Max is on the same level.
"He doesn't make mistakes, he is always fast in any condition - wet, dry, fast or slow tracks, he is always in front. He is truly an excellent driver.
"I think he and Senna are drivers we will remember forever."
And what about the comparison between Verstappen, 26, and another great former driver - seven time world champion Michael Schumacher?
Mika Salo replaced Schumacher at Ferrari for a time when the German broke his leg in 1999, and the Finn told Ilta Sanomat newspaper: "Michael never had quite as superior a car as Max has now.
"But in principle, they're very similar. Michael made mistakes at times, he was aggressive and ruthless, but in my opinion he never had a car as fast as Max has at Red Bull compared to the others," Salo added.
"But he also got a little more resistance from his own teammates than Verstappen has."
Another question that will be hotly debated in the remaining races of 2023 is whether Verstappen and Red Bull will be challenged any harder by their rivals next year.
Berger answered: "You can never know about that.
"Next year everyone will have a new car and hope the gap will be smaller because it is more spectacular to see. But if we remove Max we can already see a good championship, because Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin and Mercedes are all on a similar level."
The Austrian was also by the Italian newspaper if Ferrari's drivers are up to the task of taking on Verstappen.
"They have two excellent drivers," said Berger, also a former Ferrari driver.
"(Charles) Leclerc is very fast on the flying lap in qualifying, while (Carlos) Sainz is very consistent in the race. I think there are strategic or other problems at Ferrari, but the drivers are certainly good."
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Hard to say , but ages of a few greats when they got there 3rd title , Nelson, 35yr, Max 26yr,lucy 30yr, Seb 25yr, Schumi, 31yr, Lauda 35yr , Senna 31yr ,what does this mean Hell knows........... but his best chances are in 24 and 25 with stable regs, 26 onwards, who knows.!
I think when you look at it like this he is already legendary:
Ask yourself what if Verstappen would not have made it to F1?
1. Formula 1 would not be as big as it is today
2. Mercedes would have won 10 titles in a row without a fight
3. F1 would not been driven at Zandvoort
4. Hamilton would have 8 titels
5. We wouldn't have had the legendary 2021 season
6. Verstappen would not have won in Spain 2016 and be the youngest race winner ever and Raikkonen would have won the race
7. Drivers would still be allowed to move underbreaking
8. Red Bull would not be as strong as they are today
9. Ferrari and Leclerc would have won the title in 2022
10. We would not have seen all his great races and all his fantastic overtakes
NP, gotta' call BS on this one You can't just change the parameters of something and extrapolate new results. Is VER a great driver...absolutely. Is he 'legendary' or the GOAT. Doubtful. Now, if you want to claim the current RB juggernaut the best ever, you've got a strong argument.
No, I just kept Kvyat in the race seat of the RB...
You can say what you think, but you know I'm rihgt.
Shrop', let's remember that these kids are now beginning their racing at very early ages. I am certainly not going to do the research, but it would be fun to compare racing experience prior to the 3rd WDC's. My guess, our old friend Fangio is still the GOAT.
Agreed, but like you I cant be arsed to go that deep into the Stats
"Is Max Verstappen the best Formula 1 driver of all time."
When Max has exceeded, or even equalled, Juan Manuel Fangio's win rate of 47%, then Max can be regarded as the true G.O.A.T.
Max is certainly one of the true greats following his dominant season, with more to come, and his exceptional car control no matter what the conditions.
IMO Max is virtually at the same level as Ayrton Senna. However, Senna competed in various cars from the below average Toleman, to the average Lotus to the above average McLaren, and he achieved great results in all of them! I would like to see how Max performs in a different car that is not so dominant.
Yep, you got it right. We need to enjoy & appreciate the dominance of RB, top to bottom, and realize that it will be a target for years to come. And, unlike the last two dominant eras, they are not an OEM effort.
Id like to strap all these F1 greatest drivers in the world into a Sprint Car on a 1/4 mile dirt track and see what happens. I bet most of em would probably get to the first corner and flip end over end off the track. I bet you give Kyle Larson a week in a good F1 car and he could out perform probably 1/2 of the current F1 drivers on the grid.
What you need to realise is that Kyle Larson is a freak. It doesn't matter what he sits in, he wins! IMO there are about 6 or 7 current F1 drivers who could better Larson. The last serving F1 driver I remember that drove a sprint car was Derek Warwick, and he acquitted himself very well in an average car. Although his F1 sponsors weren't happy!
I think the most famous speedway driver to make it to the top of F1 was Jack Brabham, who drove midgets at Sydney Speedway to begin his very successful motor racing career.
How many WDC drivers has Max had as Team mates..... 0, Zero. Has the best car, second rate team mate and even Masi gave him one WDC.
Until he allows an Alonso, Oscar, Russell grade quality driver he'll be forever known as the driver in the best car with wing man to help him.
Hello f1award.
What you are describing sounds a lot like one the Hamilton/Botas team of yesteryear, noting that pretty boy Russel is now giving Lewis a run for his money.
Duhhh...
And seemingly matching him , and the Dame wont like that one bit, shell soon be on to her Dad (Christian) to tell the nasty team mate to stop beating her lol
Thers only so many , hasn't my team mate done well today's , even a 7 times champion dress wearer can repeat
If Mac improve just a bit more, and hopefully one or two others it won’t matter who Max’s team mate is, we will see his true level.
Personally I can’t wait for decent racing to return and I suspect nor can Max, or can he? Maybe he would have the sense to cut and run, he’s a family man now and imo no family man has the right to be in a F1 car, too selfish. I regret I speak from experience of other dangerous sports.