2007 world champion praised the Dutchman and recalled the Red Bull driver’s first victory, achieved ten years ago in Spain
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Kimi Raikkonen rarely gives interviews about current Formula 1, but when he speaks, his opinions usually attract attention. In a conversation with the Italian newspaper Quotidiano Sportivo, the 2007 world champion had no doubts when pointing out who he considers the strongest driver on the current grid: Max Verstappen.
When asked which driver impresses him the most in contemporary Formula 1, regardless of the car’s performance, the Finn was direct in his answer.
“Verstappen. I saw him arrive in Formula 1 during my second stint at Ferrari. Max is a phenomenon. He won his first race in Spain, right in front of me, ten years ago. It was at that moment that I realized a star had been born,” Raikkonen said.
The memory refers to the 2016 Spanish GP, one of the most remarkable races in Verstappen’s career. Promoted by Red Bull mid-season after replacing Daniil Kvyat, the Dutchman made his debut for the main team precisely in Barcelona.
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In that race, Verstappen took advantage of Mercedes’ double retirement after the collision between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg on the first lap to take the lead. Even under strong pressure from Raikkonen in the final laps, the then 18-year-old did not make mistakes and secured his first Formula 1 victory, becoming the youngest winner in the history of the category and the first Dutchman to triumph in a Grand Prix.
Raikkonen’s praise sparked widespread debate among fans. In a poll conducted by the GPblog portal, readers were asked about Verstappen’s position among the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history.
The vast majority of participants believe that the four-time world champion already deserves a place among the top three names that have passed through the category. The result showed 77.8% of votes for the “Top 3” option, while 12.2% consider Verstappen a “Top 5” driver. Another 7% place him among the top ten, and only 2% think it is still too early to make this assessment.
The responses also gave rise to discussions about who the greatest drivers of all time are. Names like Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Jim Clark, and Juan Manuel Fangio frequently appeared among the references cited by fans.
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