Max Verstappen is on the verge of securing his fourth consecutive drivers’ world championship, and the praise for his exceptional performance is pouring in from all sides.
The Dutch driver left the paddock in awe and silenced his predominantly British critics with an incredible drive from 17th on the grid to victory at Interlagos, extending his lead over McLaren’s Lando Norris in the championship standings.
“Timo Glock, a former F1 driver, told Sky Deutschland, ‘McLaren has to admit that the world championship opportunity for Lando Norris has passed,’ emphasizing that it’s now clear to everyone.”
With his win in Brazil, Verstappen, at 27 years old, surpassed Michael Schumacher’s record of leading the world championship for nearly 900 consecutive days.
Even Lewis Hamilton joined the chorus of admiration on Verstappen’s Instagram, posting: “Amazing drive, congrats.”
Glock further noted, “While Max still has a long way to go to match Schumacher’s seven titles and 91 wins, his skills in the wet and overall racing abilities already place him in the same league.”
Even Damon Hill, who has often criticized Verstappen, acknowledged his extraordinary performance in Brazil. “I think we just have to note that Damon said something positive,” quipped Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport hailed Verstappen’s Brazil GP performance as “one of the most legendary in Formula 1 history,” drawing comparisons to Ayrton Senna’s iconic drives. “He won with ease, defying physics, especially with his braking into the first corner – just ask Oscar Piastri or Esteban Ocon. He ended his 10-race winless streak and dashed Lando Norris’ championship hopes.”
When questioned about the comparisons to Schumacher and Senna, Horner said, “It’s tough to compare eras, but after the race, Bernie Ecclestone called me and said, ‘I’ve seen all the greats, but Max is one of the best I’ve ever seen.’ Coming from someone like Bernie, who’s seen so much, that really means a lot.”
Dutch racing expert Tom Coronel also weighed in, stating that Verstappen’s dominance at Red Bull this season has been so overwhelming that it has effectively derailed not only Sergio Perez’s career but also any future teammate’s prospects. “I wish Max’s next teammate good luck,” he said, “because if you’re racing alongside him, your career is essentially over.”