Breaking news
Formula 1
Verstappen a better driver than Hamilton now - Horner
Max Verstappen is better than five-time Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton on current form, reckons Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.
Scott Mitchell Edd Straw
Edited: Jul 9, 2019, 2:07 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Verstappen earned his first win of the season at the previous race in Austria, which launched him to third in the drivers' championship, behind only Hamilton and the second Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas.
Read Also:
- Austrian GP: Verstappen edges Leclerc in thrilling race
- What Verstappen's victory tells us about F1's future
Horner said after Verstappen's Austrian win that he had "thought for a little while" that Verstappen is the best driver in F1, and at a media event ahead of this weekend's British Grand Prix was asked if that meant he was even better than Hamilton.
"As the form driver, he is," said Horner. "As the driver in the form of his life, arguably over the past 12 months, he's been the best driver in the world.
"How do I substantiate that? He's not in the best car. But when you look at the results he's got out of that car since Montreal last year, some of the performances he's put in, he's made virtually zero mistakes in that period.
"It's only natural that there's always the next generation coming. Lewis has got the benefit of experience, he's still extremely quick, he's in the best car, in a very well-oiled machine.
"Max is very much the coming man. Wouldn't it be fantastic for the sport to see those guys go head-to-head?"
Horner said he would "absolutely back Max" to come out on top in the same machinery as Hamilton, who has won four of his five world titles since joining Mercedes.
In a 24-race run that started at last year's Canadian Grand Prix, Verstappen has scored three victories, 10 further podiums and not finished a race lower than fifth.
Horner believes Verstappen has also "really changed" since Daniel Ricciardo's departure to Renault promoted Verstappen to leader alongside Pierre Gasly.
"Daniel is such a big character, with a big sense of humour," said Horner. "And Max always outside of the car came a little bit within Daniel's shadow and was the jokey younger brother.
"Since Daniel left Max has assumed the role of the senior driver within the team and the responsibility that goes with that. There's a different level of maturity, of direction and sense of purpose with him.
"That has really rounded the package with him."
Horner added that there is "no sense of entitlement" with Verstappen, who entered F1 as a 17-year-old and won on his Red Bull debut when he was hastily promoted to the senior team at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.
"He's passionate," Horner added. "If you go back to the issue with [Brazilian Grand Prix shoving partner Esteban] Ocon last year.
"That's part of the reason people warm to him. He's not afraid to say as it is. Is that a bad thing? I'd rather have a driver like that, that has that passion and fire in his belly. The sport is crying out for more drivers like Max Verstappen."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Promoted: British Grand Prix Preview with Esso Synergy Fuel
Next article Ferrari not expecting Silverstone to suit its car
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Scott Mitchell
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Formula 1
Formula 1
Alfa Romeo must do better in "chaotic" races - Vasseur
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Formula 1
Formula 1
Honda: Verstappen relationship 'like a young Senna'
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
Formula 1
Formula 1
Key team personnel shouldn't be F1 boss - Ferrari
More from
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen pinpoints two recurring Red Bull problems: "We should use sign language!"
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
8 h
Max Verstappen pinpoints two recurring Red Bull problems: "We should use sign language!"
Max Verstappen puzzled by Q3 grip loss, but Austin shows how far Red Bull has progressed
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Max Verstappen puzzled by Q3 grip loss, but Austin shows how far Red Bull has progressed
More from
Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen reacts to COTA boss: "He can drive my car, after five laps he won't be able to walk"
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Max Verstappen reacts to COTA boss: "He can drive my car, after five laps he won't be able to walk"
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
"Just undriveable" – Isack Hadjar looking for answers after "massive" struggles in Austin practice
Latest news
Ducati: Aprilia got “unlucky” in Australian GP, can win every race from now
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
13 min
Ducati: Aprilia got “unlucky” in Australian GP, can win every race from now
Why Monza win from 19th still isn't the best of Kimi Antonelli's dominant F1 2026 season
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
Why Monza win from 19th still isn't the best of Kimi Antonelli's dominant F1 2026 season
What happened to Austin Hill at the end of Talladega NASCAR Cup race?
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
2 h
What happened to Austin Hill at the end of Talladega NASCAR Cup race?
Sesks tight-lipped on WRC future after ERC season finale triumph
WRC
WRC WRC 2 h
Sesks tight-lipped on WRC future after ERC season finale triumph
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe