Max Verstappen was asked which driver he believed topped various categories on the current Formula 1 grid, with Lewis Hamilton remaining off the list.
The Dutchman has four consecutive World Drivers’ Championships to his name, cementing himself as one of the greatest drivers in the sport’s history.
But while it appears as though he won’t be able to take a fifth title in 2025 amid McLaren’s dominance, he has continued to maximise his Red Bull consistently.
Due to his position as one of the great F1 racers, the Dutchman’s opinions on other drivers are often sought after.
In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Verstappen was asked to choose drivers from the current grid that fit into a range of categories, where he excluded Hamilton.
In fact, out of 19 drivers, excluding himself, just two drivers made the cut, covering a range of qualities: qualifying, race, race intelligence, overtaking, defending and mentality.
A clean sweep for Leclerc and Alonso
The two drivers that were repeatedly named by the Red Bull driver were Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso.
For Verstappen, Leclerc has been one of his keen rivals. The duo went wheel-to-wheel in the early stages of 2022 until Ferrari’s competitiveness regressed.
However, F1 isn’t the first time Leclerc and Verstappen have gone head-to-head. Fighting throughout their karting careers until eventually reaching the pinnacle of motorsport together.
Verstappen picked the Monegasque for both qualifying and overtaking.
With Leclerc being heralded for his one-lap pace, it seemed natural that he came to mind, while the duo are often praised for their hard but fair battles when they meet on track.
“Gosh, that’s difficult, but I think currently… I’ve always considered Charles Leclerc to be a very good driver in qualifying,” he said. “Charles is also good at overtaking.”
For race pace, race intelligence, defending and mentality, Verstappen chose a fellow multiple-time F1 champion.
While Alonso has been searching for the glory seen from his time with Ferrari and Renault, his experience has garnered nothing but respect from Verstappen.
When asked his choices on race craft, Verstappen mused, “Who do I like? I don’t know.”
“I’ve always liked watching Fernando in the race, even in the past. He’s a real fighter. I really like that.”
He continued to pick the F1 veteran for race intelligence, “Intelligence? I would always go for experience.
“No, I’m not going to name myself in any of this… so I would choose Fernando Alonso for his experience.”
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