Schumacher Family Member Sets the Record Straight: Don’t Compare Max Verstappen to Michael
In every sport around the world, current champions face off against former champions to determine who is the ultimate champion. Over the past three years, Max Verstappen has become someone who can be compared to greats like Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. The 26-year-old continues to chase records and is at a turning point in his life. The Dutchman recently overtook Alain Prost (fifth overall) on the list of most career wins after claiming his 52nd title in Sao Paulo. Next up is Sebastian Vettel’s record 53 wins. Given his form, Verstappen will likely surpass the German’s numbers by the end of the season. After that, only Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton would rank higher than Verstappen. As the comparisons between Verstappen and Schumacher continue, his brother Ralf Schumacher believes the two are incomparable, as reported by Formula Passion. “Win after win, Verstappen continues to make history and he made no mistakes in Brazil. But I don’t support comparisons with my brother or Ayrton Senna. “They were unique for their time.”
Schumacher refused to compare his brother to the reigning world champion, but said he would prefer to compare his team-mate. However, Schumacher was quick to praise Max Verstappen’s talent, saying “the way he won was unique”. Schumacher also said that if you compare Sergio Perez’s game with Verstappen, the latter’s ability cannot be denied. Despite what his brother said, the similarities between Max Verstappen and Michael Schumacher are unreal.
In an interview with Planet F1, former Benetton team boss Joan Villadelprat spoke of the striking similarities between Schumacher and Verstappen. Villadelprat was team principal when Schumacher went for Benetton and said that when the German driver joined the team, he had a lot of natural ability but made a lot of mistakes. He said the same thing happened to Verstappen when he joined Toro Rosso and in his early years at Red Bull.
The duo started their F1 careers at different ages, but both quickly rose to become very dominant drivers on the grid. According to Villadelprat, both drivers are able to get the most out of their cars, regardless of the conditions. The 68-year-old also believes that while other drivers can be confused when their car breaks down, both Schumacher and Verstappen are much calmer and in the best mindset.
