Columnist Noël Ummels asserts that the contest for the best Formula 1 driver of all time was definitively settled this year by Max Verstappen. He claims, ‘Verstappen possesses everything that Senna had, and possibly even more.’
It’s a pity how success becomes commonplace. Since I fell in love with this sport in 1978, when the stunning black and gold Lotus dominated the field, I had to watch as Dutch drivers chased the same field. A touch of self-deprecation that I believe originated from Huub Rothengatter. In 1979, at the tender age of fifteen, I became a fan of Jan Lammers. He was one of the best Dutch drivers to start a Grand Prix until 1994, but with subpar equipment, he couldn’t make a dent.
Then came Jos Verstappen, who astonishingly delivered the Netherlands its first Formula 1 podium. It’s hard to imagine now, but it was unprecedented. The joy was short-lived, as his career quickly declined after his debut year in 1994, and the Dutch drivers who followed him failed to make an impact.
It took exactly one generation for everything to change, from one extreme to the other. And yes, that brings us to the lament: it’s a pity how success becomes commonplace. Max Verstappen has erased the days of Dutch passport-bearing also-rans from our collective memory. What remains is another contest that, admittedly, is quite subjective and cannot be proven with results.
If you do rely on results, then Lewis Hamilton is the greatest of all time: he has as many world titles as the other record holder, Michael Schumacher, but more victories. However, I dare to doubt that Hamilton is the GOAT, the greatest of all time. He can’t possibly be, given that he is often beaten by his teammate, and this is not the first time. No, neither Schumacher, Jim Clark, nor Jackie Stewart are the greatest. And then there were Juan Manuel Fangio just after the war and Tazio Nuvolari just before. People who watched the Polygoon newsreel might testify that they were the best ever. But that view is rather black and white.
Examining the Legacy of Ayrton Senna
The usual suspect, Ayrton Senna? Oh dear, don’t touch Ayrton Senna. Nothing but good should be said about the deceased, especially him, as he is to be spoken of with sacred reverence, having died too young and in the line of duty. Of course, this is nonsense. There is no doubt that he was one of the best Formula 1 drivers in history. But apart from a few other blunders, one stands out that disqualifies him from being the absolute best.
Senna’s Performance in Monaco 1988
That weekend, he indeed showed himself to be the best. It started with the qualification, where he was a staggering one and a half seconds faster than the number 2, teammate Alain Prost. The next day, an almost untouchable Senna led the race, extending his lead lap after lap until it was about fifty seconds and… he crashed with only eleven of the 78 laps to go. What was set to be a historic victory turned into a historic failure: the Grand Prix of Monaco 1988.
Max Verstappen: A New Era
Max Verstappen has everything Senna had and possibly even more. There is only one thing he lacks compared to him: the tendency to make mistakes when there is no need. After his phenomenal victory in the Grand Prix of Brazil, everyone once again compared him to Senna. It’s a nice sentiment, but let’s face it: the comparison is overwhelmingly in his favor. In the year he clinches his fourth world title, we can confidently state that Max Verstappen is the best of all time. As mentioned, it’s subjective, but it’s a fact.
