F1 News

Berger: 'Schumacher and Hamilton are great, but Verstappen is still young'

Berger: 'Schumacher and Hamilton are great, but Verstappen is still young'

09-09-2023 19:21 Last update: 20:02
14
Author profile picture

Toby McLuskie

Ten-time F1 winner Gerhard Berger talks to Austria's Kronen Zeitung about the big names in Formula 1. When it comes to his teammate at McLaren from 1990 to 1992, Ayrton Senna, the link to Max Verstappen is quickly made. Berger places these two drivers above Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

'Senna and Verstappen over Hamilton and Schumacher'

And that is a remarkable comment, as 25-year-old Max Verstappen has only two F1 titles behind his name, compared to Hamilton and Schumacher's seven. Berger begins his argument: "Verstappen and Senna are unique in the sport. They are the two greatest drivers I have seen in the last 50 years."

In passing, Berger provides advice to Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez: "I would leave there as soon as possible so I don't have to have anything to do with Verstappen. Every day he will probably think: 'My teammate is driving me to pieces'."

When Berger is asked what he thinks of Schumacher and Hamilton, he says: "They are also exceptional drivers. Of course, you have to look at those statistics too. They are both fantastic, but Senna died early and Verstappen is still young."