Max Verstappen made his F1 debut at the young age of 17 and rose through the ranks at a lightning pace. In just his second year, he was promoted to the Red Bull seat from Toro Rosso and guided the Austrian squad to victory on his debut outing.
Since then, Verstappen has gone on to win 35 races and finish on the podium 77 times, adding two World Championships to his name. He is already in the same league as some of the greatest F1 drivers of all time and he is just 25 years old. Verstappen has a lot more to offer in F1, and former Red Bull driver David Coulthard feels that fans should appreciate his greatness.
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An amazing way to end an incredible season for us @redbullracing & @HondaRacingGLB.
All in all, the whole season has been unbelievable and it’s been very enjoyable with the team. Thank you so much to everyone for your hard work 💪 pic.twitter.com/nsUP2qhOIj
— Max Verstappen (@Max33Verstappen) November 20, 2022
In an interview with Formule1, 13 GP winner Coulthard spoke about Verstappen’s 2022 season. The Brit is adamant that Verstappen does not need to win more Titles to prove his worth. According to him, the 2022 World Champion is already a legend. He is currently the most dominant driver in the sport, but Coulthard is vary of his time coming to an end.
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Max Verstappen did not win only because he had a good car, says Coulthard
Verstappen dominated the 2022 F1 season, winning 15 races on his way to becoming a 2-time Champion. A lot of people have suggested that his dominance was only due to the RB18’s superiority over the other cars on the grid. According to Coulthard, people who believe this don’t know what they are talking about.
“Just as Lewis doesn’t need nine world titles for me to consider him one of the greatest drivers in the sport, Max is already one of the greats,” the 51-year-old said. “You would also have to be a f*cking idiot to claim that he only achieved this because he was in a good car.”
David Coulthard on Max Verstappen: “The only thing I think can stand in the way of Max and Red Bull Racing really taking this championship is the racing gods maybe getting involved in a few things with reliability” #F1 pic.twitter.com/u08sBUIMGd
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) April 29, 2021
Coulthard went on to claim that none of Verstappen’s teammates have been able to match him in the same car to date. This shows how good the Dutchman is, and insisted that fans should appreciate the greatness they are witnessing in F1 currently.
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Verstappen does not care what pundits and critics have to say
Ever since Verstappen’s ascendency began, a lot of fans and pundits have claimed that he is way too aggressive. His 2021 Title battle with Lewis Hamilton produced some very infamous moments that led to fans lashing out at the Dutchman. Even pundits have taken sly digs at Verstappen every now and then. However, Coulthard feels that he does not care about what they all have to say.
“Max is a beast on the track, a winning machine who doesn’t give a shit about what we have to say or what anyone else has to say. He’s unbelievable,” he added.
