Verstappen "Fastest Driver That Has Ever Driven an F1 Car" - Button

Paul Jeffrey · Oct 18, 2019

2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button has stated he considers Max Verstappen to be the fastest ever Grand Prix driver.

At just 22 years of age, Max Verstappen has already proven himself to be a formidable talent in Formula One racing, securing an impressive seven Grand Prix victories for Red Bull Racing in his four and a half seasons in the top flight of the sport.

With 2019 showing the young Dutchman finally appears to be getting on top of his tendency to make mistakes at critical moments of a race weekend, former rival and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button claimed he believes Verstappen is now the fastest driver ever to compete in Grand Prix racing - and this is coming from a man who has been partnered with both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso during his long career in the top flight.

Speaking recently to TalkSport, 39-year-old Button had this to say about his one time F1 rival:

"I think he is the fastest driver that has ever driven an F1 car. I really do. I think he is unbelievably fast.”

Button went on to observe how Verstappen has improved his speed and racecraft since storming onto the Grand Prix scene for Toro Rosso back in 2015, leading many to believe the driver has many more successes in front of him for the remainder of this career in the sport.

"I think he is unbelievably fast," added the reigning Super GT Champion. "Previously to this year he made some mistakes, as you would expect from a young driver, but now he’s doing such a fantastic job. I really do think he is very special."

The statement from Button comes in direct contrast to some harsh words recently spoken by Eddie Irvine, the former Ferrari driver sharing his thoughts that "there is no doubt that Leclerc is better than Verstappen. In fact, he is much, much better" - the Northern Irishman has never been one to mince his words or hold back an opinion!

With Verstappen and Leclerc still at the very beginning of their Formula One careers, hopefully with many years in the sport still ahead of them, who do you think has the most potential to become the next big Formula One star?

If you are looking for a place to discuss the current happenings in Formula One racing with your fellow Grand Prix fans, head on over to the Formula One sub forum here at RaceDepartment and get involved in the conversation today!

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gamer19 · Oct 18, 2019

Well...
tbh, I find Leclerc face quite more pleasant to look at

but, god forgive me.... I'm afraid that I tend to kind of agree on this with mister Buttock.
That self-obsessed brat is lighting fast for the most of the time.

To put it this way:
In the same car... I tend to believe the order on the end of the year would most probably be like this -
Verstappen
Hamilton / Leclerc
Vettel
Ricciardo / Raikkonen / Sainz
......
......
......
......
......
Grosjean.

Xenozoid · Oct 18, 2019

rich mans world,

but here in NL he is better than papa,
mazel

antirussia81 · Oct 18, 2019

You put Grosjean way too high...

Fat-Alfie · Oct 18, 2019

Ok... So, what does that make Albon, Ocon and Blomqvist? They all beat him in various championships

Michel Bélisle · Oct 18, 2019

At this time, I think that Verstappen is ahead of Leclerc but over time these two could become the top end rivalry in F1.

Jonny Austin · Oct 18, 2019

Max is fast but is much more in the Mansell/Gilles Villeneuve mould of being an aggressive spin or win type of driver.That is great entertainment for fans because when/if Max is as mature a racer as Alonso,Hamilton,Prost or Schumacher & takes less risks it will be less exciting.

Mr Deap · Oct 18, 2019

I personally also think Leclerc is currently the fastest F1 driver at the moment. I'm not sharing Button opinion at the moment.

Nick Hill · Oct 18, 2019

Max is very quick, but what is going to be even quicker is the rate at which this thread comes off the rails!

Mike Smith · Oct 18, 2019

Well, let's settle this.

F1 should have an all-star event. Each year, the top 5 in the driver's standings, plus 5 more current drivers that get the most fan votes, plus 10 retired drivers or drivers from other disciplines face off for a spec car race event. Ticket sales and advert profits go to charity, and we get to settle who is the best driver. Boom.

madhopz · Oct 18, 2019

So how do you determine "fastest driver"? Quali times compilation" Race times compliation ? Speed through a particular corner ? Speed at a particular track? Speed based on car potential ? Ability to correct understeer/oversteer? Holder of record lap time at the most tracks?

I believe the fastest driver ever is.....................................................................no one.

paracletus · Oct 18, 2019

Oh great, another my moms better than yours thread.
/popcorn

Yeah, no. MV is now established as a big player in F1. That's it right now.
No point in trying to compare past-present drivers, it is too different.

RichardHessels · Oct 18, 2019

Fat-Alfie said:
Ok... So, what does that make Albon, Ocon and Blomqvist? They all beat him in various championships

When he was driving with Van Amersfoort F3 he was super quick, in that ultra competive F3 class. You could say he lifted the performance of the whole team to another level. Also in F3 budgets make the normal pecking order. While Van Amersfoort is a super proffesional team, it's not the team with the biggest budgets on the grid (at that time). For sure Leclerc might be just as fast as him.
Time will tell, and i'm looking forward to see the future battles.
It's been quite hectic season till now, can't wait for Mexico.

davehenrie · Oct 18, 2019

Back in the mid 90's in Champcar racing(Indy) there was a small core of fast drivers. Michael Andretti, Paul Tracey, Emmerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser Jr. Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan. (probably more, just the ones that I can remember.) Of those Paul Tracey was probably the fastest day in and day out but rarely for the full race distance. Tracey also didn't win the Indy 500(except for the one stolen by the IRL) Michael Andretti was possibly the 2nd fastest, one reason Mclaren gave him a shot in F1. Several Season championships but never the Indy 500. Al Unser Jr and Rahal were possibly the least fast in qualifying or practice....(by a tiny margin, but noticeable) but both won plenty of races and Al Jr and Rahal won the Indy 500 and Champcar season championships.
So this is a rather long long-winded way of saying, 'The Fastest Driver is not always The Fastest Driver.'

Nick Hill · Oct 18, 2019

BigMike8 said:
Well, let's settle this.

F1 should have an all-star event. Each year, the top 5 in the driver's standings, plus 5 more current drivers that get the most fan votes, plus 10 retired drivers or drivers from other disciplines face off for a spec car race event. Ticket sales and advert profits go to charity, and we get to settle who is the best driver. Boom.

It's a problem (if you see it as a problem, some don't) as old as F1 itself. As fans, hell as humans, I think we really want it to be about the driver. In F1, it's principally about the car and has progressively gotten to be moreso that way if you put stock in what the number crunchers say. Difference between GOAT quality driver and a adequate driver in the same car is probably a couple of tenths. Enough of a difference to be significant, but not enough of a difference where you can make fair assessments between guys running different machinery.

Bring back the M1 Procars...though not sure today's egos can handle it.

Paulus-NL · Oct 18, 2019

he can be fast, but with RBR he will never win the world championship.

T04STY · Oct 18, 2019

Fat-Alfie said:
Ok... So, what does that make Albon, Ocon and Blomqvist? They all beat him in various championships

With better material, sure. Do you think it is a coincidence, that Prema is always on top in F4 and F3? Van Amersfoorth is a way smaller team with less resources. You can only really compare to a teammate in an equal car and the way it stands, he was pretty much faster then any of them.

gamer19 · Oct 18, 2019

madhopz said:
So how do you determine "fastest driver"? Quali times compilation" Race times compliation ? Speed through a particular corner ? Speed at a particular track? Speed based on car potential ? Ability to correct understeer/oversteer? Holder of record lap time at the most tracks?

By "destroying" every team mate they pair you with ?
Maybe that could be one tiiiiny proof for you ?