Verstappen on championship: 'Not one big rival that makes my life hell'
Red Bull Contentpool
F1 News
Max Verstappen, much like legends of the past eras Micheal Schumacher and Ayrton Senna, pushed the limits of the racing rules with his actions in Austin and Mexico. The Dutchman was asked by Bild whether he sees it as a compliment or a criticism that he is compared to the seven-time world champion and the three-time world champion.
Comparing Verstappen to Schumacher and Senna
Verstappen is currently being challenged by Lando Norris for the world championship. The Brit currently seems to have the faster car, meaning Verstappen has to go to the limit to stop Norris from getting past him. As a result, Verstappen picked up a 20-second time penalty for his actions in Mexico.
This draws comparisons to Senna and Schumacher for his actions, something that he admits he is bothered about when asked if he considers it a compliment. "I don't care about compliments, I want to win. And I always give everything for that! That's probably what connects me with drivers like Michael. He also never left anything untried to have the greatest possible chance of success. Both in the car with his driving style and outside when it came to developing the car. There is no room for fear - but you also have to use your common sense."
Verstappen on the championship battle
Verstappen was also asked who his toughest opponent currently is for the championship, to which he replied, "Lando is a very good driver, but there isn't one big rival who makes my life hell. The teams are too close to each other for it to always be a one-on-one battle. Every weekend is different. Some cars work better on some tracks than others. It's the same with drivers."
This article was written in collaboration with Cas van de Kleut.
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