Red Bull boss Christian Horner has hailed Max Verstappen as the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time, calling his ability to get the most out of his machinery “unprecedented”, as Sergio Perez discovered appear.
Verstappen has now firmly established himself at the top of Formula 1, with the Red Bull driver having won 13 of the 16 grand prix so far in F1 2023 as he races towards the world championship title third in as many seasons.
The Dutch driver once again rewrote the Formula 1 record books in F1 2023, setting a new longest winning streak of all time with 10 consecutive victories between Miami and the Italian GP.
Red Bull team principal Horner has overseen Verstappen’s rise to glory since joining the main team in 2016 and believes they have a driver in his mid-20s confirmed as one of the drivers The greatest Formula 1 has ever seen.
“He is playing at an extremely high level and is now benefiting from his experience,” Horner told ESPN.
“He’s always had exceptional speed and great natural talent, but his ability to drive, to follow the race, to think in aspects far beyond the normal range is extremely, extremely impressive. “And I think he took it a step further this year.” The last few years he has left this world and I think now you have to start considering Max as one of the greatest of all time. What he did during that period of time was simply incredibly impressive.
“It was an honor to work with him and to see this pilot go on to achieve these incredible things. And something it continually surprises us with, whether in mixed conditions, wet or dry, its ability to get the most out of the car is unparalleled.
Verstappen has built a reputation as a team-killer at Red Bull, with Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon coming and going, while Pérez is now struggling to match Verstappen’s form, after seeing off his famous target. His 2023 F1 title is rapidly disintegrating. . Verstappen was almost eight-tenths faster than Pérez at the end of qualifying last time out in Japan, with the gap in pace between the pair having increased throughout the season and Horner believes Verstappen just needs a snapshot of the vehicle and the conditions, as well as confidence. in yourself, something your teammates cannot match.
Horner explained when asked how Verstappen compares to his teammates: “I think he just has a feel for the car, for the limits of grip, he’s very confident in himself and his abilities.
His ability to get there so quickly is that, you look at his laps, his first appearance at a Grand Prix or a new circuit, his first lap of the day will usually be two or three seconds faster than anyone else. And you see a little bit of rain, boom, suddenly this void becomes like this.
“He has an exceptional natural feel and ability to understand what the car needs through his advice to get the most out of it. And it’s interesting to see him adapt so quickly to a situation or condition with a car.
With Verstappen ahead by 177 points, Perez’s attention now turns to defending his P2 position in the Drivers’ Championship, with Lewis Hamilton just 33 points behind.
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