Max Verstappen is closing in on a few of Lewis Hamilton’s F1 data.
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battled arduous in 2021 (Picture: Getty)
Former F1 star David Coulthard believes that Max Verstappen’s ‘grounded’ and ‘current’ method separates him from seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton within the biggest of all-time checklist.
Verstappen narrowly missed out on a fifth consecutive Drivers’ Championship crown in 2025 – one that may have put him inside two of former title rival Hamilton within the document books. The Brit might cleared the path with 105 Grand Prix victories, however the Purple Bull driver already has 71 of his personal and, at 28, has loads of time left to catch the Ferrari star if he so wishes.
Requested about one of the best F1 champions on the Purple Flags podcast, Coulthard mentioned: ”I’ll go together with Max, and this would possibly not shock some individuals who know me and like me and know me and dislike me, for the next causes.
“I feel that each technology needs to be higher. That is what evolution is. I feel that there is a crossover of generations there, and Hamilton has been unbelievable. However there’s additionally somewhat little bit of a disconnect in some methods.
“Max, I discover very grounded. If he is right here, it is simply Max. He is current, and we all know when he is doing his interviews and press conferences; if he is not pleased, he says it, and he is not shy to say that. He owns his beliefs, whether or not he is pleased, whether or not he is unhappy.”
Whereas Verstappen stays, within the eyes of most pundits and followers, the strongest driver on the grid, Hamilton endured a difficult 2025 marketing campaign, ending the 12 months with no podium end and accumulating simply 156 factors. His qualifying performances additionally raised eyebrows, with the second half of the 12 months affected by uncharacteristic Q1 knockouts.
Coulthard views Verstappen as one of the best in F1 (Picture: Getty)
Explaining his selection additional, Coulthard added: “So I am going to go together with Verstappen as a result of they’re very troublesome to separate when it comes to Hamilton at his peak, and I hold saying that as a result of I am undecided that he’s at his peak anymore, controversial for a loser like me to dare to say that.
“However it simply feels the greats match their team-mates or beat their team-mates. And within the final couple of years, if I am not mistaken, he did not do this with George [Russell]. And it does not really feel like he is executed that with Charles [Leclerc].
“So if we put opinions to at least one facet and we simply use the 2 issues which can be in the end essential in Formulation One, it is a stopwatch, and it is a chequered flag. Every part else is opinion. So the stopwatch offers you your qualifying place, as we all know, chequered flag offers you the number-one trophy.
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“And I feel that the outright pace is possibly not there with Lewis anymore. However you have to give him a lot respect, however Max, it nonetheless appears like he is growing, it nonetheless feels there’s extra to come back.”
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