Max Verstappen picks five best F1 drivers ever but leaves three huge names out
Max Verstappen has offered his picks for the greatest drivers in F1 history.
Max Verstappen left himself out of the conversation when naming his best five drivers in F1 history. The Dutchman also snubbed four-time world champions Sebastian Vettel and French motorsport icon Alain Prost as he made his opinions clear.
The reigning world champion is rapidly punching his name into the record books as one of F1’s most successful drivers ever. After winning in Montreal on Sunday, Verstappen now has 60 Grand Prix victories, with only Lewis Hamilton (103) and Michael Schumacher (91) boasting more.
Both of F1’s seven-time world champions featured in Verstappen’s top five when he was asked by DAZN Espana to name his elite circle at the Canadian Grand Prix. Joining them in his list were Ayrton Senna, Fernando Alonso and Juan Manuel Fangio.
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Hamilton, Schumacher and Senna are common answers to this question and it is hard to argue against their inclusions. While Alonso has just two World Championships to his name, it is widely accepted that he possessed the talent to win many more during his long and illustrious career, but wrong moves at the wrong times cost him dearly.
However, perhaps the most eye-catching decision from Verstappen was to leave himself out of the reckoning. The 26-year-old is already well on his way to becoming a four-time world champion and holds a host of impressive records, including the most wins in an individual campaign (19) and most consecutive race victories (10).
He also has a higher win percentage (30.93) than Hamilton (30.21) and Schumacher (29.55) and with Red Bull still strong contenders for regular race victories despite a wobble at the start of the 2024 campaign, it is likely that his record will only improve over the coming years.
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For some, Verstappen is already in the conversation for the greatest of all time. Former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger is among those who believe this. Earlier this year, he told Auto Motor und Sport: “With Max Verstappen, we have someone who makes me question whether my old assessment is still correct. Max didn't make a single mistake last season.
“At least that happened to Senna from time to time. Senna and Schumacher benefited from the fact that they drove karts from an early age and did nothing else in life but race. That applies to all drivers today. Verstappen, however, still races virtually on the simulator in his spare time. He is always preoccupied with racing.
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“He mentally plays through where he can and cannot overtake. Neither Senna, Schumacher nor Hamilton had this tool. It's simply noticeable that Max is always in the right place. At the start, in the first corner, in the duel. I can't think of anything you could do better than him. That's why Max Verstappen is probably the best we've ever seen in Formula One.”
