Max Verstappen won his first World Championship in 2021 and is currently the favorite to win his second successive Title this campaign.
Verstappen was part of one of the most intense Title battles in history last season. He went toe to toe with seven-time Champion Lewis Hamilton in a tussle that went down to the last wire. He ended up on top after a last-lap overtake on Hamilton at the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
This season, he picked up right where he left the 2021 season off. With just nine races to go, the 24-year-old is 80 points ahead of second-placed Charles Leclerc in the standings. At such a young age, he may well have two World Titles to his name, and will also have age on his side.
Former McLaren driver Pedro de la Rosa feels that Verstappen is on his way to becoming the greatest F1 driver of all time. This means he expects the Dutch driver to surpass the legacy of Hamilton and another seven-time winner in Michael Schumacher.
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Max Verstappen is the best driver in Formula 1 currently, says de la Rosa
Verstappen is arguably the most in-form driver today. He is miles ahead of his teammate Sergio Perez in terms of performance and is facing no real threat for the Title as of now. A huge reason behind that may be Ferrari’s internal problems and Mercedes’ fall from grace.
Verstappen is part of Red Bull, a team that is always competing in the front. Even with a few bad years, if Red Bull lives up to its name, he may very well break Hamilton and Schumacher’s record of winning the World Title.
“He has all the qualities, that’s for sure,” de la Rosa said to Racing News 365. “Only time will tell which teams he will drive for and how competitive those teams will be in the next 10 years. But Max has everything it takes to become the best.”
“I think Max has everything it takes to become one of the best of all time in Formula One,” he added.
The 2022 F1 season resumes next weekend after a three-week summer break. Fans will be hoping for a rain-free and much more entertaining Belgian GP after last year’s immense disappointment.
