“In my list, he is above Lewis Hamilton”: Max Verstappen gets the nod in F1 supremo’s list as the better driver than 7x champion 

Former F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone labeled Max Verstappen as the greatest driver in the sport of all time, leaving behind personalities like Lewis Hamilton and Alain Prost.

Max Verstappen is having the best season of his Formula 1 career currently, and with the numerous wins and records, he has earned the respect of many F1 pundits, and joining their ranks is the former CEO of the sport. Looking at his progress and driving in the 2023 season, he feels that the Dutchman brings out the maximum from the car and performs it to perfection. It is true that Verstappen's driving this season has witnessed little or no errors and he has accomplished one of the highest winning percentages of the season (so far). Ecclestone said, as quoted by the Daily Mail:

"Max is the best driver ever. No doubts. I used to say Alain Prost. Now I would say Max. He’s the greatest. He is the brightest with regards to getting the best out of the car."

He further mentioned that Max Verstappen is above in his list than the seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, because of many factors.

"He doesn’t muck around. He gets right on the programme. In my list he is above Lewis Hamilton."

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Ecclestone compares Max Verstappen to Lewis Hamilton

One might choose seven world championships over two, but at the same time it is necessary to understand that the pace at which Max Verstappen is racking up wins is quite rapid, and if he maintains this he might as well go on to win more consecutive world championships.

Ecclestone compared the two drivers, stating that while Hamilton is very bright, Max Verstappen has the ability to extract the maximum from the car and leverage it to great effect.

"Lewis is obviously super-super bright, super-super talented. Lewis understands people and gets the best out of them, whereas Max gets the best out of the car."

Verstappen's dedication towards racing is well regarded, the little time that he has off the track is spent on his racing simulator, which helps him predict all of the possibilities during a race and assists him in perfecting all track types. Racing simulators are one of the best ways for modern drivers to learn even when they are not on the track, and it seems as if the Red Bull driver makes the most use of it.

"He’s very different from Max. When Lewis stops racing, he can get into a different world - entertainment or whatever - but that won’t be the way Max could go."