Max Verstappen and Ayrton Senna are widely regarded as the top Formula 1 drivers of their respective generations. Verstappen, a Dutch racer, has solidified his place in F1 history as one of the greatest. Making his debut at just 17 years old, he went on to break numerous records. Many compare the 26-year-old to the late F1 legend Senna due to their exceptional speed and talent. Verstappen recently shared his thoughts on this comparison, stating that it is challenging to fairly compare drivers in the sport. He believes that each driver should be appreciated for their individual performances and acknowledges that every driver has their own unique driving style, including Senna.
Verstappen acknowledges that it is possible to admire the racing style of certain great drivers. However, he emphasizes that cars behave differently in different eras of the sport. Verstappen specifically mentions that Senna would approach driving today’s ground-effect cars differently than he did with his championship-winning cars from the late 80s and early 90s.
Brazil has produced some of the sport’s finest drivers, including Ayrton Senna and Max Verstappen’s girlfriend Kelly Piquet’s father, Nelson Piquet. Verstappen has great respect for Brazil and its rich history in Formula 1. He praises Brazilian fans for their passion and believes that the country deserves to have a driver on the current F1 grid. The last Brazilian to race in F1 was Felipe Massa in 2017, but Verstappen notes that Massa was awarded an honorary citizenship from Brazil in 2022.
Max Verstappen holds a deep admiration for Brazil, a country that has given F1 legends like Ayrton Senna. As the reigning world champion, Verstappen aims to secure another victory at Sao Paulo this season. However, it is worth noting that Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, has a massive fanbase in Brazil and may have more support from the local fans.