Max Verstappen ‘as good as Michael Schumacher’ and five other iconic F1 drivers

Verstappen heads into next weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix with the chance to secure his third consecutive World Championship with six Grands Prix to spare, should he finish in sixth place or higher during Saturday’s sprint race.

Red Bull’s star man has been setting a new level with his performances in 2023, turning his control of 2022 into utter dominance this year. After 16 races, the 25-year-old has claimed 13 race wins and stood on the podium on 15 occasions. He heads to Lusail with a sensational 177-point lead at the top of the standings. 

Speaking to OLBG about the Dutchman’s talent, Chandhok said: “I think Max is, in terms of natural talent, up there with the absolute best we’ve ever seen in the sport, along with Ayrton Senna, Jim Clark, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost. 

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“I’m not a big fan of using stats to tell the story, it’s one part of the equation. Clark raced in a dangerous era, won two championships and never had the chance to carry on, Senna, likewise, didn’t get the chance to finish the ’94 season. Max Verstappen is, unquestionably, on his way to becoming one of the all-time greats.”

While many have attributed Verstappen’s success to the raw performance of the RB19, his displays relative to team-mate Sergio Perez indicate that the two-time champion is driving at his absolute best, week-in, week-out.

This was showcased in Suzuka with Verstappen setting a sensational pole lap, finishing six-tenths to the good on his nearest challengers, including Checo. Then, in the Grand Prix, Verstappen controlled the proceedings with ease, while his team-mate crashed on two occasions and was forced into an early retirement.

When asked whether Red Bull’s dominance will transfer into 2024 and beyond, Chandhok replied: “The new regulations with the wind tunnel restrictions and the cost cap, create opportunities for other teams to catch up with Red Bull and add performance to their cars. 

“It looks like Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren have made some big gains going forward. Aston Martin don’t seem to have been able to keep up their development curve in the same way. We’ll see what next year brings.”