“You could call it ruthlessness” – Helmut Marko claims Max Verstappen shares Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna-like "instincts"

Max Verstappen shares the same 'instincts' as F1 legends Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, as per Dr. Helmut Marko.

Verstappen rose to F1 under Marko's watchful tutelage. The former Austrian race car driver is an advisor to the Red Bull team and has been at the helm of the team's world-class junior program, of which Verstappen is a product.

While in conversation during an interview with AutoRevue, Marko claimed Verstappen has the same 'ruthlessness' as Senna and Schumacher. He said:

“It’s impossible to compare because they’re different periods but what they all have is a complete focus. You could also call it ruthlessness. There is nothing else but ‘I want to win and I’ll do anything for it.’”

The 78-year-old went on to add, saying:

“And they grow beyond possibilities that don’t normally exist. That reminds me of Max’s qualifying lap in Jeddah, even if it didn’t work out then. You could see that he drove the car so over the limit, that was visible. And in the races, Hamilton should already know that you can’t leave the smallest gap open at Verstappen. He’s already stabbing you before the other person sees him in the rear-view mirror. This incredible willpower with the necessary talent makes all the difference.”

Marko has been full of praise for Verstappen, who is Red Bull's first world champion since Sebastian Vettel won four world titles in a row between 2010 and 2013. The senior Austrian has even claimed Verstappen is a 'stronger' driver than Vettel.

Max Verstappen has already proved he can operate at the level of the aforementioned greats. The Dutchman scored 18 podiums in 2021 to break a long-standing F1 record set by Schumacher and equaled by the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton.

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"It's like seeing a young Senna" - Honda boss Masashi Yamamoto on Max Verstappen

Dr. Helmut Marko isn't the only person who has dared to mention Max Verstappen and Ayrton Senna in the same breath. Honda's F1 chief Masashi Yamamoto has also been effusive in his praise for the 24-year-old.

During the first year of Honda's partnership with Red Bull, Yamamoto saw Verstappen clinch victory superbly at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix. The Dutchman famously pointed to the Honda logo after some tough times with their Renault power unit in 2017 and 2018.

Yamamoto said:

“It’s like seeing a young (Ayrton) Senna.”

Max Verstappen notched up 15 wins, 13 pole positions and a total of 38 podiums whilst being powered by Honda. 10 wins, 10 poles and 18 podiums from that entire tally came during his title-winning campaign in 2021.