Max Verstappen (left) and Sebastian Vettel both became world champions with Red Bull. Image: IMAGO/PanoramaC
formula 1
Max Verstappen has achieved what only a few fans would have thought possible two years ago: He dethroned the reigning champion Lewis Hamilton, the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time.
In 2021, Verstappen defeated the Brit in an epic showdown in the last race of the season. The following year, his Red Bull team built him such a superior car that the Verstappen title was inescapable with four races to go.
The Dutchman has already won two world titles. At the age of just 25, that’s an impressive achievement – before Verstappen, only Sebastian Vettel, who had already been crowned double world champion at the age of 24, managed it earlier.
In the Netherlands, the hype surrounding the shooting star Verstappen is huge. In many other countries, however, the Red Bull driver does not have the best reputation.
The watson app for your smartphone
Verstappen is criticized for hard driving style
Not only in Great Britain, the home of long-time rival Lewis Hamilton, is Verstappen criticized for his uncompromising driving style. In 2021, the two clashed several times on the track. Often because Verstappen had refused to back down and he had pushed Hamilton off the track one time or another.
Max Verstappen (left) and Lewis Hamilton don’t treat themselves to anything on the race track.Image: IMAGO/HochZwei
In an interview with Sports Illustrated Verstappen was confronted with his reputation as an egoist – and countered the question with a reference to his team.
“I wouldn’t say I’m an ‘egoist’ on track as we always work as a team. […] I’m never completely alone on the track. I know that every step I take out there has an impact on the team at the track and in the factory“said Verstappen.
Many observers had expected that Verstappen could rein in himself once he had fulfilled his dream of becoming a Formula 1 world champion.
When asked by Sports Illustrated, he said: “I think people would probably expect me to say that winning world titles has changed me, but I don’t think it has. The pressure is just a little less now. I want to fight for more titles and hope that we can be competitive as a team for a long time to come.”
Christian Horner compares Vettel and Verstappen
His team boss Christian Horner also had his say in the interview. He should compare Verstappen with Sebastian Vettel, who had great success with Red Bull a few years earlier. From 2010 to 2013, the Vettel-Red Bull team secured a total of four drivers’ and four constructors’ titles.
“They are similar in that they are both very ambitious and dedicated people who work relentlessly towards their ultimate goal,” Horner said now.
In terms of personality and driving characteristics, Vettel and Verstappen are very different. “Sebastian was much more analytical and went into great detail in his meetings with the team. Max has a very good understanding of what’s going on with the car and is very succinct in his feedback.”
Germany’s fastest racing driver Sophia Flörsch is very familiar with comebacks. Many fans still remember their horror crash in Macau. At the Formula 3 race there in 2018, her racing car was catapulted into the air as a result of a crash, rolled over several times and finally landed behind a safety fence, destroyed. Miraculously, the then 17-year-old survived the accident and sustained only minor injuries.
