Ralf Schumacher, a former F1 driver, thinks that Max Verstappen is much better than Lewis Hamilton and even rates Hamilton not exceptionally talented. More importantly, Verstappen has won his fourth F1 driver’s title to level him with Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel; for Schumacher, however, even Vettel, who took all his titles with Red Bull, does not rank among the ultimate greats.
Admittedly, it was a testing 2024 F1 season for Verstappen, for he could add another drivers’ championship to his credit, but the RB20 and the Red Bull camp were problematic.
Things off-track revolved around team-in-charge Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, and of course his father Jos Verstappen who had a mid-season spat with the Red Bull principal.
But the Dutchman has squeezed the very best out of a rather difficult car and maneuvered his path through all the paddock’s melodrama.
Schumacher would justify it with the assertion that this is what 27-year-olds bring as opposed to Lewis and Sebastian, who really need everything to be perfect in their environment.
“It just shows that he makes a difference,” Schumacher told Sky DE. “Max Verstappen is really able to provide that extra knowledge that these exceptionally talented world champions before him had.
“There aren’t many of them, and I honestly don’t count Lewis Hamilton among them. He’s certainly an exception, but he like Sebastian Vettel always needs the perfect environment and car.
“But Max Verstappen, with what he’s achieved this year under these circumstances…. The difficulties with Christian Horner, the departure of Adrian Newey.”
Verstappen was in another league. The fact that at Red Bull, the car didn’t seem to agree with his teammate Sergio Perez when the problems arose in the season, tells you much.
“The car was excellent at the beginning, but then a disaster,” noted Schumacher.
“But he manned up and always delivered, and if you compare it to his teammate, that’s incredible anyway.”
