Ayrton Senna’s former team-mate rates where Max Verstappen ranks among F1 greats
Gerhard Berger – Ayrton Senna’s former McLaren team-mate – has claimed that Max Verstappen is the greatest racing driver of all time. The Dutchman won 19 of the 22 Grands Prix in 2023 as he broke almost every single-season record available.
Verstappen was simply unmatchable in 2023, winning all but one race after the fourth round of the campaign as he stormed to the most dominant Drivers’ Championship title in F1 history. When the curtain fell on the season in Abu Dhabi, the 26-year-old was 290 points clear of team-mate and closest rival Sergio Perez in the standings.
Commenting on the reigning world champion’s dedication, Berger told Kronen Zeitung: “Max is a racing driver who always gives 120 per cent, just like Senna or Schumacher used to, or Hamilton does now. But I’m sure Max is back in the simulator and playing with all his racing cars again already.”
The Austrian was then asked whether or not he is the most dedicated in F1 history, to which he responded: “For sure. He simply lives with every fibre of his body for his sport, for Formula 1. That is his passion. For me, he is the world’s best racing driver of all time.”
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It wasn’t just single-season records that Verstappen made a mark on in 2023. With his 19th Grand Prix victory of the campaign in the season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit, Verstappen moved clear of Sebastian Vettel in the total career race win rankings.
Verstappen’s 54th Grand Prix victory moved him into third place on the all-time list with only the two seven-time world champions – Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton – above him in the record books.
Hamilton currently holds the record for the most Grand Prix victories with his tally standing at 103. However, the legendary Brit has failed to claim a single race win since beating Verstappen to the chequered flag in Saudi Arabia in the penultimate round of the 2021 season.
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The Mercedes driver was extremely downbeat after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, suggesting that it would take a miraculous effort over the winter to catch up to a Red Bull team who have been focusing wholeheartedly on their 2024 challenger since Singapore.
Berger, however, was unconvinced by Hamilton’s comments, adding: “That’s just the language of Formula 1. Formula 1 is always good for a surprise. Something can always happen. In any case, I’m really looking forward to 2024.”
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