Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner considers Max Verstappen the perfect driver to race for Red Bull in the history of the Formula 1 team.
Verstappen has built waves in Formula 1 ever since becoming the youngest driver to step up to the Grand Prix race in 2015 at the age of 17.
Last year, Dutchman took his fourth F1 title, leveling with Sebastian Vettel and Alain Prost on the driver list at most world championships.
It was Vettel who told Red Bull’s first dominant stage in Formula 1, leading the Milton Keynes team to four consecutive title doubles between 2010 and 2013.
However, Horner likened it to 27-year-old tennis legend Roger Federer, and believes Verstappen has taken things a step.
Asked if Verstappen is Red Bull’s biggest driver, the British told the BBC:
He added:
“Again, it’s a great pleasure to see the first sector of Jeddah (in the car) completely (driver) and fully confident in themselves and extract every ounce of performance.
Horner admitted that it’s difficult to compare drivers from different eras in Formula 1, but he believes it’s time to admit that Verstappen deserves a place among the greatest ever-growing figures of the sport.
“It’s very difficult to judge that,” he said. “He is certainly the greatest thing on the grid at this point. How does generations (do) have to speak with the same bracket as some of the best in sports history.
“He has all the ability to achieve many records, but that depends on giving him the tools to do his job and the time he wants to stay in the sport in the end.”
Apart from the four world championship titles he won between 2021 and 24, Verstappen has won 64 races, 115 podiums and 43 pole positions just over 10 seasons in Formula 1.
In comparison, Vettel won 53 wins, 122 podiums and 57 pole positions in his 15.5 season-long career between 2007 and 2012.
Only Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Juan Manuel Fangio have more titles in their names than Verstappen and Vettel.
As for race victory, Verstappen is behind the third on the list (64), Hamilton at 105 and Schoker at 91, but ahead of Vettel (53).
As far as qualified performance goes, Vettel is comfortable ahead of Verstappen with 57 poles compared to Verstappen’s 43. They both trail Hamilton (104), Schumacher (68) and Ayrton Senna (65) which are on the list of drivers with most pole positions.
