Not Max Verstappen but Spanish champion is 'the best driver in the world', according to Argentine racer

Argentine racer Agustin Canapino feels iAlex Palou and not Max Verstappen is the best driver in the world.

Verstappen has been dominating F1 at an unprecedented level, while Palou won his second IndyCar title this season in a dominant fashion. IndyCar is more of a spec series than F1, so it's difficult for anyone to win consecutively.

To add to that, such was the dominance from Palou that for the first time in 17 years, the title will not be decided in the final race of the season. Verstappen, too, has been very dominant on his part. He won the title last season with a few races to spare and is on course to do the same this time.

Talking to Fox Sports, though, Argentine IndyCar racer Agustin Canapino placed Palou a level higher than Verstappen due to the versatility of the tracks in IndyCar:

"Palou is outstanding because for me he is the best driver in the world, in my opinion.

"If he is not the best, he is among the three best. In my opinion, Palou is more complete than Verstappen. What Palou does in IndyCar for me is really like being an extraterrestrial, but it is a very subjective opinion."

He added:

"Verstappen is another alien too. Don't let Verstappen's followers criticise me because I have Verstappen in limbo too but, for me, the fact of racing on ovals makes IndyCar drivers different because the oval is the absolute extreme, and F1 doesn't have that.

"That's why, for me, a driver like Palou, who sets the standard difference in all types of circuits, in all types of disciplines, makes him an extraterrestrial."

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Max Verstappen on cusp of becoming three-time world champion

With his most recent win in Japan, Verstappen came one step closer to becoming a three-time world champion. If the Red Bull driver wins the sprint in Qatar he will become the second youngest three-time world champion.

Sebastian Vettel became the youngest three-time world champion after he won the title with Red Bull in Brazil in 2012. Verstappen holds a 177-point lead in the 2023 championship over teammate Sergio Perez and will look to seal the deal in Qatar and continue his record-breaking run this season.