Horner praises Verstappen: "Never seen anyone as eager as Max"

Christian Horner has praised Max Verstappen ahead of the winter tests in Bahrain. The ten-time Grand Prix winner is preparing for his seventh full season in Formula 1 and the Red Bull Racing team boss claims his pupil is still as eager and hungry as he was during his formative years.

"(A driver) has to be fearless, have huge confidence in his own ability, belief and desire. You've got to really want it," Horner stated in conversation with BBC Radio 5. At the British radio station. "That's what's so interesting about Verstappen. He's still a youngster, but has had that hunger and desire. We've worked with some great drivers and there's this cominality between them that they're all hungry for it, but I've never seen anyone as Hungry as Verstappen."

In recent years we have seen Verstappen make some mistakes. Immediately the comparison is made with guys like Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel, who are a lot further ahead than the Dutchman. According to Horner it can all be traced back to one thing: experience.

Experience is important in Formula 1

"The more experience they get, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian for example. They will not take unnessesary risks. They will choose their moments through experience. In the free practices you won't see them taking risks. You'll see them turn it on in qualifying when they need to and you'll see it at certain points in a Grand Prix and I think.

"That's something which sets Hamilton apart. He still takes risks as if he's a rookie, but at the right times," Horner explained.