Formula 1 is a unique sport and it has changed and progressed in all of its eras. Being the pinnacle of single-seater motor racing, technology has played a huge role in developing the sport. Hence, an age-old debate always rages about comparing two champion drivers like Max Verstappen and Ayrton Senna — who have raced in completely different eras.
Both three-time world champions often get compared as two of the greatest talents to have raced in F1. The Brazilian is an icon of the sport but drove in the ’80s and ’90s when aerodynamics weren’t as intricate. Meanwhile, Verstappen plies his trade in the modern day, driving the turbo-hybrid and ground-effect cars.
So, are they really comparable? And if so, who had a tougher time etching a legacy in the sport? Open-wheel driver coach, Martin Villari broke this down when he sat for an exclusive interview with The SportsRush. When asked if Senna had a harder time than the Dutchman, he said, “I think so, yes.”
In 161 races
41 wins, 65 poles, 3 world titles
Imagine his statistics with 300 or more races pic.twitter.com/jG447HIFj7
— Senna (@sennatheking) July 25, 2022
He went on to explain, “There was more to manage. Not to mention they had the manual gearbox. They had all of that physical work to do on top of executing good technique and inputs and [racing] lines.”
On the other hand, Villari feels that it isn’t exactly ‘easy’ to drive a modern F1 car, too. The margins in today’s sport are so fine that precision has taken over the role of brute and raw speed. “But it [the current generation of F1 cars] places more importance on [precision] as well because that’s your only opportunity to make a difference”, he added.
Villari also listed down the bevy of tools that the drivers have at their disposal today. While it makes driving F1 cars a more technically gifted art, it also demands maximum brain capacity and effort from the drivers.
Back in the day, drivers like Senna had a lot to manage in an analog style but that doesn’t mean that technology has made things particularly easier for someone like Verstappen.
“So, they’ve got control over how much engine braking they have, how much brake migration you want or how locked or unlocked you want the diff. That’s where the drivers need to play — that’s the new ‘manual gearbox’,” he concluded.
