Christian Horner believes Max Verstappen has surpassed every Red Bull driver, placing him among Formula 1’s true all-time legends.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has praised Max Verstappen as the most outstanding driver ever to race for the team, and one of the greatest talents the sport has ever seen.
Horner has led Red Bull Racing since its debut in Formula 1 two decades ago. Over the years, the team has worked with 14 drivers, five of whom have won Grand Prix races. Among them is Sebastian Vettel, a four-time world champion, just like Verstappen.
But in Horner’s eyes, Verstappen stands alone.
“We’ve been lucky to work with some incredibly gifted drivers, and Sebastian Vettel is certainly among them with four world titles,” Horner said. “But I believe Max is on another level.”
While Horner acknowledged it’s hard to compare drivers across different generations, he didn’t hesitate to call Verstappen the best on today’s grid.
“It’s always tough to judge across eras, but right now, Max is clearly the standout driver in Formula 1,” he said. “And at this point, I think he belongs in the same league as some of the all-time greats.”
According to Horner, Verstappen has everything it takes to rewrite the record books, but whether he does will depend on how long he stays in the sport and whether Red Bull can keep giving him a car capable of winning.
“He’s the most complete driver I’ve ever seen. The best Red Bull has ever had.”
One moment that stood out to Horner was Verstappen’s breathtaking pole lap at Suzuka, where he narrowly beat the McLarens with less than five hundredths of a second to spare.
“I was watching the live delta comparing him to the McLaren,” Horner explained. “Corner after corner, he was just edging ahead. He nailed the Spoon Curve perfectly. Suddenly he’s gaining a tenth and a half, then two-tenths, and you’re thinking, if he holds this, he’s got the front row, but it’s going to be tight.”
“He lost a fraction down the straight, but then he absolutely nailed the final chicane and squeezed out another few hundredths. He kept it clean all the way to the line and just grabbed pole. It was pure class.”
For Horner, watching Verstappen drive is something special, like watching a legend at their peak.
“Honestly, watching Max in the car reminds me of watching Roger Federer at his best, the way he hits a tennis ball with such perfect timing and precision. You see Max in Jeddah’s first sector, for example, and it’s just a joy to watch someone so locked in, so confident, and extracting everything from the car. His precision and rhythm are extraordinary.”
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Verstappen hailed as Red Bull’s greatest F1 driver ever Verstappen hailed as Red Bull’s greatest F1 driver ever