Who can hold a candle to Max Verstappen in Formula 1 and seriously challenge the Dutchman? Many observers have many answers to this question. Red Bull Motorsport boss Helmut Marko isn’t afraid of two absolute top talents either.
According to ex-team boss Eddie Jordan, “there would only be one driver pairing that would be able to take on the fight with Verstappen: Charles Leclerc and, as a teammate, Lando Norris,” as the Irishman told the “F1 Insider”.
Record world champion Lewis Hamilton and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso are “well-deserved champions”. He simply no longer trusts the old masters “to be able to keep up with Verstappen because of their advanced age,” said Jordan.
However, the scenario of a Leclerc/Norris driver duo doesn’t raise any worry lines on Red Bull eminence Helmut Marko’s forehead. “Certainly Leclerc and Norris are exceptional talents. But both have shown weaknesses in consistency in the past,” said the Austrian.
Marko also pointed out that Verstappen is “not yet at his limit”. “He will get even better. It is our job to provide him with a car that is as good as the one in 2023. Then he will be the benchmark again.”
Formula 1: Verstappen soon on a par with Fangio, Schumacher and Hamilton?
The 26-year-old Dutchman had won 19 of 22 Grands Prix in the previous season and confidently clinched his third world championship title in a row. Verstappen was also on the podium 21 times in 2023 – a record. His victory tally now stands at 54 Grand Prix successes. In the all-time best list, Verstappen only has record champions Hamilton (103) and Michael Schumacher (91) ahead of him.
If Verstappen wins his fourth consecutive world championship crown in 2024, he would be on a level in this category with F1 icons Juan Manuel Fangio (1954-1957), Schumacher (2000-2004), Sebastian Vettel (2010-2013) and Hamilton ( 2017-2020).