F1 legend Gerhard Berger has made a striking proclamation: Max Verstappen might just be the “world’s best racing driver of all time.” Considering Berger’s history as Ayrton Senna’s teammate at McLaren, it’s a statement that carries weight.
Speaking to Kronen Zeitung, Berger reflected on Verstappen’s extraordinary dominance in the 2023 season, where the Red Bull driver secured an astonishing 19 wins out of 22 grands prix. “Never in my life,” Berger remarked, has he witnessed such a commanding performance.
Drawing parallels with other greats, Berger noted, “Max is a racing driver who always gives 120 percent, just like Senna or Schumacher used to, or Hamilton does now. But I’m sure Max is back in the simulator and playing with all his racing cars again already.”
When posed with the question of whether Verstappen is the most dedicated driver in the sport’s history, Berger didn’t hesitate: “For sure,” he said. “He simply lives with every fibre of his body for his sport – for Formula 1. That is his passion. For me, he is the world’s best racing driver of all time.”
Berger also highlighted what he found most impressive about Verstappen’s third consecutive drivers’ crown this year. It wasn’t just the 21 podiums out of a possible 22, but his impeccable driving record. Berger humorously pointed out that this perfection is a challenge for Helmut Marko, as “With zero errors, Helmut simply has nothing to criticise.”
The performance of Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, stood in stark contrast. “Yes,” Berger agreed. “If you lump Max and Perez together, then on average Helmut has something to do again.” He specifically mentioned Leclerc’s overtaking of Perez in Las Vegas, critiquing Perez’s mistake. ” I have to say that not even a beginner makes such an error.”
Discussing Marko’s recent prediction of a tougher challenge for Red Bull in 2024, Berger sees it as a strategic move. “Such statements are typical,” he said. “Helmut is just trying to take some pressure out of the boiler. Personally, I see black again for all of Red Bull’s competition next year.”
Lewis Hamilton’s recent comments, casting doubt on any team’s ability to close the performance gap over a single winter, were also addressed by Berger. “That’s just the language of Formula 1,” he explained, suggesting that Hamilton is trying to set up a new year with less pressure. Yet, despite seeing Red Bull as the clear favorite, Berger acknowledges, “Formula 1 is always good for a surprise. Something can always happen,” he added. “In any case, I’m really looking forward to 2024.”
