Max Verstappen four time F1 world champion universally praised
F1 NewsTuesday, 26 November 2024 at 09:33
Max Verstappen - Formula 1's latest four-time World Champion - received plaudits from rivals and pundits alike. His title triumph, thanks to beating Lando Norris at the Las Vegas Grand Prix widely praised with few, if no exceptions.
Without the best car, by far, for the latter half of the season, Verstappen totally destroyed his teammate, all year long while the Dutch ace too often flew the flag solo. With McLaren clearly faster since the summer break, Verstappen held them at bay with two races remaining in the title fight. But it is game over, Qatar and Abu Dhabi only relevant now to decide the 2024 F1 Constructors' title.
2009 F1 world champion and Sky Sports F1 pundit Jenson Button said: "When the year started in Bahrain, we were thinking it would be a walk in the park and it was for a few races. Off track there was a lot to talk about and a bit of a fractured team.
"Adrian Newey leaving was a big deal, but I don't think it had an affect this year. It was kind of spiralling. When you watch Max on track, he seemed calm in trying to get as many points as he could, not getting stressed about not having the quickest car.
"He got it into his head 'I'm not going to win another race, I'm just going to do the best I can every race'. And I think the last race in Brazil, just wow, and knocked it out with that win. That's what finalised it."
Brundle: Verstappen is quite something
Sky Sports F1's Martin Brundle: "It's the days when they haven't got the fastest car and when you minimise the damage, that's the sign of the great champions. They play the percentage game when they have to and seize opportunities when they are available and often making opportunities as well. Max has certainly done that.
"A few racing drivers achieve F1 status, some of us scored points, others stood on the podium, some won races, and a few won championships. Only six have won four or more titles and the list of Juan Manuel Fangio, Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen is quite something."
Former and F1 current title rivals were unanimous in their praise of the 27-year-old's achievement, with his arch-nemesis Lewis Hamilton saying after trhe race in Las Vegas: “Congratulations must go to Max too who claimed the title today. He’s done a fantastic job all year and is a deserving champion,” said Lewis Hamilton, one of Verstappen’s rivals and a fellow multiple world champion.
His Mercedes teammate, winner in Vegas on Saturday night, George Russell added: "Max is a deserving champion, has driven at an incredible level all year, and is the man we will all be chasing in 2025."
Leclerc: Verstappen deserves this championship title
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc said: "Big congratulations to Max. He deserves this championship title, he has had an amazing season and always maximised his results which has paid off for him. It gives us motivation to be even stronger next year and hopefully, we can put him under some more pressure then.
Carlos Sainz who shared a garage with Verstappen at Toro Rosso, said of his former teammate: “I think he’s driven for years now at an incredibly high level. This year he has dominated whenever he had a dominant car and then he didn’t make mistakes and maximised the points that he could get with less performing car, just did whatever he had to do in every race, so congrats, he clearly deserves it."
Verstappen's closest challenger, Lando Norris said: “A big congratulations to Max on winning the Drivers’ Championship, he deserved it. He drove better than everyone over the course of the year, and rarely makes a mistake, so congrats to him for delivering once again."
Being Verstappen's teammate has not been an easy task for anyone who partnered has the Dutch ace, veteran Perez has been the best of the bunch but struggled massively this year against Max. The Mexican said of his teammate's day: “Congratulations to Max!"
Perez: The best season I have ever seen from a driver
"I think he has had the best season I have ever seen from a driver because a lot of the time we did not have the best car and Max made the difference a lot of weekends," admitted Perez. "The way he pushed the team forward, he was just a pure force.
"I think this has been the best year from him in the four we have been together. He has been tremendous, well done to him for all the success he has had, he deserves it," added the Red Bull driver.
The driver who may replace Checo, VCARB supersub Liam Lawson chimed in: “Congratulations to Max for four World Titles, what an achievement, he fully deserves it after all the tough fights this year. Very well deserved to him and the whole team."
F1TV pundit Jolyon Palmer looked back on Verstappen's season: "The obvious standout is Brazil. Charging through the field from 17th and making the rest of the field look ordinary was exceptional, particularly with title pressures in play.
"The opening of the Spanish Grand Prix was also superbly clinical from Max, passing Norris and then Russell which set him up for a win he probably shouldn’t have taken. Finally Silverstone was a brilliant showcase of why he’s so difficult to beat over a season."
Horner: Verstappen has been outstanding all year
"Even when the car isn’t competitive, both team and driver managed to execute the absolute very best from the situation and finish second, extending Max's title advantage," explained Palmer.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said of his man: "It's incredible, he's done an amazing job, he's been outstanding all year and we are just very proud of him, he's driven brilliantly. He's won eight grands prix, he's won the World Championship with two races to go, you can't ask for more than that.
"He just gets in the car and he delivers, he's a great human. It puts him amongst the greats, statistics now put him there as well. He's only just turned 27 and he's in the form of his life so as long as we can keep giving him a decent car then he will keep delivering."
Ferrari scribe Leo Turrini was his poetic self: "Those who follow my blog know my opinion on Verstappen from as far back as 2016. He is a Phenomenon. You may not like some of his character traits but he is marking an era. Fourth title well deserved! Much more his than Red Bull's."
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