'Idiot if you say Verstappen's success is only because of the car'
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- GPblog.com
Even if Max Verstappen unexpectedly fails to become world champion for the rest of his Formula 1 career, the Red Bull Racing driver can be counted among the all-time greats, according to David Coulthard. The former F1 driver tells Formule1.nl that Verstappen has very little to prove in the premier class of motorsport.
Verstappen took the world title in 2021 and 2022 and he hopes to add several more championships to that. Given Red Bull's domination this season, the 24-year-old driver seems to have good credentials, although the Austrian team does face significantly less wind tunnel time than the other race teams. This is because of exceeding the budget cap last year.
Coulthard on Verstappen
Whatever happens, Coulthard says Verstappen can be counted among the best drivers ever. "Max is already among the greats. You'd also have to be a f**king idiot to claim he only achieved this 'because he was in a good car.'" The RB18 may be particularly competitive, but what Verstappen showed was of an exceptionally high standard.
According to the Scottish analyst, the fact that no teammate over a full season can even come close to Verstappen tells everything. Pierre Gasly, Alexander Albon and Sergio Perez have (by now) all proven to be very deserving drivers in Formula 1, but in the duel with Verstappen, they don't stand a chance.