Can Max Verstappen already be universally recognized as the greatest driver of all time? Yes, according to Jeremy Clarkson, but not according to Jacques Villeneuve.
The British commentator and presenter, best known for hosting the popular television series *Top Gear*, expressed great admiration for the Dutch superstar following his extraordinary comeback in the Brazilian GP: “Verstappen is one of the all-time greats. He might even be the greatest driver we’ve ever seen.”
The greatness of Max Verstappen sparks debate
This claim slightly irked the 1997 world champion, who, in commenting on Jeremy Clarkson’s remarks to Grosvenor Sport, took the opportunity to disagree with the presenter: “How can he say that Verstappen is the greatest of all time?”
“He had a great season when he beat Lewis [Hamilton] for his first title, and he won it the same way Lewis won his first championship. Then he had some easy victories, like Lewis. And this year, he kept fighting. So, this year has been fantastic.”
“You can’t compare Fangio’s era to the current one. They’re different times. You can’t say that one of them is the greatest of all time. The sport has changed too much.”
He then added: “Max definitely has what it takes to match Schumacher’s titles. He’s still hungry and competitive and always aims for victory. He doesn’t let setbacks get to him. With the right conditions, he’ll always be ready to win a championship.”
“Similarly, Fernando Alonso could have won seven championships. Look at how many times he came close with Ferrari. Take Michael Schumacher; he could have won three instead of seven, but he also could have won even more.” – Jacques Villeneuve pointed out – “Sometimes you come close, and there are some drivers who don’t have the number of championships they probably deserved with their talent. Max has won every championship he could have won. So far, he’s never lost one.” – the former Formula 1 driver concluded.
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