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Max Verstappen breaks silence on modern-day Ayrton Senna label

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Armaan Agarwal | Last updated 4/19/24

Max Verstappen has truly established himself as an all-time great in Formula 1 history. The Dutch driver made his debut in the sport at the age of 17 and went to break several records. The 26-year-old is often compared to late F1 legend Ayrton Senna for his sheer speed and talent. Now, Verstappen has finally commented on this comparison.

The reigning world champion claimed that it was difficult to have a fair comparison between drivers in the sport. Verstappen reckoned that fans should appreciate every driver for their own performances. Moreover, Max Verstappen emphasized that all drivers had a particular driving style, including Ayrton Senna.

I always find it hard to compare drivers. It’s more about we have to appreciate every one in their own way. Every one has its own particular driving style, Ayrton had his. Max Verstappen told Ge.globo.com

The Dutch driver mentioned that it was possible to admire the way of racing of some great drivers. However, Verstappen highlighted that cars behaved differently in different eras of the sport. Subsequently, the Red Bull driver claimed that Senna would drive today’s ground-effect cars differently than his championship-winning cars from the late 80s and early 90s.

We can of course admire the style of some people, how they race, how they defend themselves... Let's say that Ayrton drove in a certain way in the 80s and 90s, if he drove today I'm sure he would drive a little bit different, because he had to adapt to the current generation of cars. Max Verstappen explained

Max Verstappen claims Brazil ‘deserves’ to have an F1 driver

Brazil has given Formula 1 some of the best drivers in the sport’s history including Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet Sr. Piquet is the father of Max Verstappen’s girlfriend Kelly Piquet. Certainly, Verstappen respects the Latin American nation for its legacy in the sport.

The reigning world champion praised Brazilian fans for their passion for the sport. The Red Bull driver claimed that the country deserved to have a driver on the current F1 grid. The last Brazilian to race in F1 was Felipe Massa in 2017. Although, Lewis Hamilton was awarded an honorary citizenship from Brazil in 2022.

If you see the passion of the fans, I think that Brazil certainly deserves ( to have a driver in F1 ). Brazilian drivers had an incredible history in the sport. Max Verstappen asserted

Certainly, Max Verstappen admires the Latin American giant for giving F1 the likes of Ayrton Senna. The reigning world champion won the Brazilian GP last season. Verstappen would certainly aim to bag another victory at Sao Paulo this season. However, fans might be more inclined towards Lewis Hamilton as the seven-time world champion enjoys a massive fanbase in the country.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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