Max Verstappen ‘setting new standards’ and on course to be an F1 great, says former driver
Jan Lammers has been impressed but warned there was still a long way to go and that Verstappen’s lead could slip away in a flash
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Your support makes all the difference.Max Verstappen is “setting new standards” in Formula 1 and is on course to be one of the sport’s true greats, according to former driver Jan Lammers.
Verstappen currently leads the drivers’ championship by 19 points from Lewis Hamilton, after winning the Mexican Grand Prix with ease, and is closing in on his first world title.
“Max is definitely setting new standards every day,” said Dutch GP boss and former driver Lammers in an interview with Sky Sports News. “We’re extremely proud of him with what he’s doing.
“He could definitely be up there [among Dutch greats] but I’m sure Max’s aim is not to be the best in Dutch perspective, I’m sure that he aims higher. I’m sure he’s judging on a world scale to be one of the all-time best. He has heavy shoes to fill if you see what Lewis has done with his seven championships and what Michael Schumacher, Fangio and Senna and all those drivers have done.
“I’m sure he has a lot in mind to [achieve] but he has already been doing this for more than 20 years now. So he’s a veteran at such a young age. But let’s see, I’d love to make up the score when he’s around 30 [years old].”
However, Lammers warned there was still a long way to go and that Verstappen’s lead could slip away in a flash.
“I wouldn’t jump to conclusions because we know how easily it can go wrong. We saw [in Mexico] with Valtteri [Bottas] how simply it can go wrong. It just needs to have one wheel be stuck at a pit stop. We have seen many championships just go up in air with trivial things.
“So I’m sure at Red Bull and particularly Max it’s all just focused forward and they won’t pop the cork until it’s relevant. For now it’s looking fantastic. It’s hard to realise that Max won nine grands prix this year and Lewis only five, so that goes to show how realistic it is. But we still have to do it.”
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