SUMMARY
- As a rising Formula 1 star, Max Verstappen inches closer to legendary status alongside Schumacher, Senna, and Hamilton.
- Alain Prost praises Verstappen's unconventional approach and admires his honesty.
Once a Formula 1 prodigy whose family background replicated his career, Max Verstappen is very close to being in the same league as legendary drivers like Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Lewis Hamilton, and others. Despite being the reigning world champion, the Dutchman keeps to himself around the paddock while occasionally voicing his staunch opinions.
Verstappen has not been a fan of the latest addition to the F1 schedule: the sprint races. He also got in trouble for his comments regarding the exhilarating festivities that took place during the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year. But when did that stop the 26-year-old from saying his fair share of controversial things on camera? That very personality trait earned him compliments from former driver Alain Prost.
3x champion gains recognition from veteran driver Alain Prost
After being lauded by the ‘Flying Scot’, Sir Jackie Stewart, another legendary ex-driver, Max Verstappen found himself being praised by the French motorsport champion. Alain Prost has openly expressed his admiration for the Red Bull driver and his willingness to challenge the conventional norms of Formula 1. Verstappen is striving to match Prost’s achievement of four championship titles.
Alain Prost on Max Verstappen
“For me it’s good to see a driver like him. I was very pleased to listen to what he also said about not liking the sprint races. At least he says what he thinks and is not afraid by the political game. I like that.”
[@Motor_Sport] pic.twitter.com/GozNl3s781
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) January 30, 2024
Prost, in response, has publicly praised the young Dutch driver for his efforts. The former driver stated, “I was very pleased to listen to what he also said about not liking the sprint races. At least he says what he thinks and is not afraid of the political game. I like that. I like him very much because he’s a little bit different in the way he thinks and speaks.”
Moreover, Prost encouraged Verstappen’s relentless pursuit of victory, portraying him as a formidable contender. The 4x champion suggests that fans appreciate this quality. Nevertheless, Verstappen occasionally takes on the role of the F1 antagonist after two amazing seasons of dominance.
The ‘tool’ that has elevated Max Verstappen to the pinnacle of F1
Throughout the previous campaign, Verstappen effortlessly secured his third consecutive world title by winning 19 out of 22 races. The entire run of the season was characterized by podium finishes in nearly every Grand Prix and elevated him to the status of Ayrton Senna with three grand wins. However, Gerhard Berger, the veteran Ferrari driver, points out the secret being Verstappen’s success.
10-time race winner Gerhard Berger believes Max Verstappen is the greatest F1 driver ever.
“I said before that Senna was the best driver of all time. I have to say, I think Max Verstappen is now even better than that. He has skills that I haven’t seen yet.”
Via: @grandprix247 pic.twitter.com/fk7QCit5il
— Daniel Valente 🏎️ (@F1GuyDan) January 25, 2024
According to the Austrian, “Senna and Schumacher benefited from racing karts from an early age and doing nothing else in life other than racing. This applies to all drivers today. But Verstappen still drives virtual races on the simulator in his free time. Sometimes three a day. So he is always busy with this topic.”
Gerhard Berger attributes Verstappen’s success to the hours he dedicates to participating in virtual simulator races. This habit, Berger contends, has finely honed Verstappen’s racing skills.