Verstappen more ‘ruthless’ than Hamilton? “He wants to destroy people” 

The Dutchman appears well on his way to claiming his third consecutive world title after winning two of the opening three races amid Red Bull’s dominant start to the 2023 season. 

Verstappen’s latest win at the Australian Grand Prix was the 37th of his grand prix career, and his 17th victory in the last 25 races. The 25-year-old set a new record for most wins in a single F1 season as he racked up 15 in a simply remarkable 2022 campaign.

And there is no other driver who shares Verstappen’s desire to win, according to FIA press conference host Tom Clarkson. 

“I have never met a racing driver who is so hungry for success as Max Verstappen,” Clarkson said on the F1 Nation podcast. 

“He doesn’t just want to win. He wants to destroy the people around him, his closest competitors, and a classic case was Saudi.

“He started the race 15th, he drove a brilliant grand prix to finish second and yet he was really disappointed after the race and came out with the line, ‘I’m not here to finish second’.

“So many other people would have thought that’s a great weekend.

“Look at Perez last weekend in Melbourne. He starts in the pit lane, he comes through to fifth and he was really happy.

“I can’t imagine Max Verstappen being happy with fifth, even from a pit lane start. His mentality is unique.

“Yes, Lewis Hamilton is hugely competitive, of course he is – ditto Charles Leclerc – but there’s a ruthlessness about Max that I don’t see in the other guys. Just a serial winner.

“For as long as that Red Bull is competitive, Max is just going to keep winning. He’s one of those guys, he won’t get bored of winning. The more he wins, the more he wants it.”

Clarkson sees a clear resemblance between Verstappen and Fernando Alonso, and said it is “quite frightening” to think how good the Dutchman could become.

“When I look at Max, I don’t see a weakness,” Clarkson added. “I think he’s strong everywhere.

“He’s quick over one lap, I think his racecraft is really good, I think the way he looks after his tyres is brilliant, I think he’s able to read a race brilliantly.

“In fact, the more I look at Max, the more he reminds me of Fernando Alonso.

“Is he the fastest guy over one lap? He’s brilliantly fast. He’s certainly in the top three on the grid. But is he the fastest guy? Same car, Charles Leclerc or him? Not sure.

“But who is the fastest over a race? I actually think there is no one better than Max Verstappen. 

“He’s like a metronome. Lap after lap, he just bangs it in and he’s combined that with a ruthless attitude towards overtaking and you’ve got yourself a serial winner.

“He’s incredibly impressive and I think his mentality is very similar to Fernando Alonso and it doesn’t surprise me when they each come out praising the other in the media, which they do quite a lot now because I think they can see a little bit of the other in themselves.

“Max is Fernando Alonso of 2005/06, that’s where we’re at right now with him.

“And how good can he get? How can he chip away at just making himself better? And I think he does have that desire to get better as well.

“It’s quite frightening, actually, to think how good he could become.”

1996 world champion Damon Hill has not put it beyond Verstappen to go on and eclipse Hamilton’s F1 records. 

“I’m sure he’ll get better,” Hill said. 

“I think he has shown more maturity and measuredness in his application of his formidable talents in races.

“He knows when to twist and when to stick. He can push when he needs to. There’s no need to go flat-out the whole time everywhere. He’s always got it in his back pocket if he needs it on.

“A very accomplished [driver] and the sky is the limit. It could be eight World titles.”