Max Verstappen is slowly cementing his name as one of the greatest F1 drivers ever. However, not everyone believed in Verstappen when he started out at Red Bull. When Red Bull chief Helmut Marko compared his talent and potential to that of Senna, many people laughed at him. Now that Verstappen is living up to the promise, Marko reminds everyone of the same.
The sheer domination that Verstappen has shown over the years has only gone on to show how great a driver he is. This has led many people to compare Verstappen with some of the biggest Formula 1 legends. He has been compared to the likes of Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna.
Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko once compared Verstappen with Senna. While talking to the Red Bull Bulletin in 2022, Marko said, “In terms of character, commitment, self-confidence, and charisma, I’d compare him to Ayrton Senna.” Honda boss Masashi Yamamoto also said a very similar thing about Verstappen and stated that the Dutch driver is like a young version of the Brazilian sensation.
Helmut Marko believes that Verstappen is like Ayrton Senna
Helmut Marko recently gave an interview to oe24.com where he was asked if he could see something in common between Verstappen and Senna.
Helmut Marko replied, “I compared Max to Senna a few years ago and was smiled at. The know-it-alls from back then are slowly running out of arguments. Max has not only developed as a racing driver, but also as a personality. The incredible qualifying lap he put in in Monaco on Saturday is already coming close to Senna. Max is the best in all conditions”
Verstappen is now just two race wins away from equaling Senna’s record of 41 victories. The late great Brazilian also has three world championship titles to his name. Verstappen, who has already won two, is well on his way toward winning his third crown this season.
In terms of podium finishes, Verstappen has already overtaken Senna. The Dutchman stands at 83, which is three more than Senna’s haul.
Max Verstappen made his mark right when he joined F1
Verstappen made his debut in Formula 1 at the young age of 17. Red Bull called him up just a year later, and he took the world of F1 by storm. In his first race with the Milton-Keynes-based outfit, the 18-year-old Dutchman won the Spanish GP, becoming the sport’s youngest race winner of all time.
Verstappen has waited patiently for his opportunity since then, sneaking in occasional victories during Mercedes’ era of dominance. Finally, he got his opportunity to contest for the title in 2021 when Red Bull provided him with a car that could be on par with Mercedes.
Verstappen grabbed this opportunity with both hands and won his first-ever World Championship. Since then, the 25-year-old hasn’t looked back. In the 2023 season, he stands first in the standings after completing the first six rounds, 39 points ahead of second-placed Serio Perez.
