Former F1 Driver Puts Max Verstappen At Par With Ayrton Senna: “He Knows Something That Others Don’t”

Ayrton Senna sits in the same table as some of F1’s best drivers ever, and there are very few who are considered good enough to join him. Recently crowned four-time World Champion Max Verstappen, however, has a case, according to Luca de Grassi.

The 2016-17 Formula E champion recently compared Verstappen‘s 2024 win at Interlagos to Senna‘s legendary victory at the 1993 European GP in Donington. “You can probably only compare this race (2024 Brazilian GP) with Senna in Donington, who also started fifth and was in front within two laps,” Di Grassi said in an interview with talkSPORT.

Speaking of Senna’s unbelievable performance, Di Grassi, a former F1 driver, added, “There was such a huge difference between his performance and the speed of the others. That was really, really impressive“.

Donington 1993. Ayrton Senna’s “Lap of the Gods”

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Despite starting from fourth and dropping to fifth at the first corner, Senna quickly recovered to take the lead by the end of the opening lap. He overtook Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, Damon Hill, and Alain Prost — three of whom would later become world champions — within just a few corners.

What made his victory in the rain-affected race even more impressive was that he managed to lap the entire grid, except for second-placed Damon Hill, who still finished over a minute behind the legendary Brazilian driver. Similarly, Verstappen showcased a comparable level of dominance to secure victory at Interlagos earlier this year.

Starting from 17th, he overtook several cars in the first lap itself. He then made steady progress as the race continued and thanks to some luck coming with the timing of the safety car, he managed to cross the finish line first.

Di Grassi continued, “A few years ago there was a rain race in Sao Paulo and he was really in a class of his own with his speed. So he knows something that the others don’t know in Sao Paulo“.

Verstappen delivered a masterclass at the 2016 Brazilian GP, climbing from 16th to the podium in just 16 laps with a series of sensational overtakes.