Max Verstappen “has what it takes” to eventually break the records Lewis Hamilton is currently setting, ex-Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz claims.
The Dutchman is currently watching on with the rest of us as the Mercedes driver closes in on Michael Schumacher’s two biggest achievements of 91 race wins, just one away, and seven world championships in 2020.
And given the current level of domination Hamilton is enjoying, very few would bet against him going on to make it eight titles in 2021, surpassing 100 wins in the process.
Wurz, the current GPDA chairman, does believe, however, it’s only a matter of time until Verstappen starts writing his own history.
“With the team [Red Bull] or with another team, he would, of course, have to hope to have a world-champion-capable car that is always up to date or at least up to the level of Lewis Hamilton, [Valtteri] Bottas and [Charles] Leclerc,” he told Austrian broadcaster ORF.
“Then he can even overtake Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher in the records. He has what it takes.”
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Indeed, one thing Verstappen does have on his side is time as, even though 2020 is his fifth season on the grid, Max is still only 22 and could have been the youngest world champion had Red Bull produced a car strong enough to beat Mercedes.
“A miracle must happen for him to catapult himself back into the fight for the title, but he is a healthy realist. Pessimism is not a mental problem for him,” Wurz added.
“He always gives everything and for me is one of the very best racing drivers we have ever seen.
“If you imagine that he can still become the youngest world champion, which is Sebastian Vettel so far, then he still has so many years ahead of him, but he has already gained so much experience.”