Verstappen 'doesn't like to be compared' - even to the greats

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has shrugged off attempts to compare him with former great names from the history of Formula 1.

"I’m not really a fan of being compared to anyone," he told renowned sports journalist Wilfried de Jong in an exclusive interview with Dutch TV broadcaster Ziggo Sport this week.

"I try to keep focusing on myself," he said in reply to being asked if he agreed with suggestions that he was the new Aryton Senna.

"It is nice to hear that people are positive," he responded. "But it’s not something to think too much about. In Formula 1 you can go from hero to zero in a moment."

But that's not to underestimate the size of his youthful ego.

“I always think you have to think of yourself as the best," he replied when asked who the top driver was today. "If you don’t, what’s the point of participating?

"The goal is to be the best and I have to prove it when I get the chance," he insisted. "That’s obviously depended on the car, but hopefully I’m able to prove myself more often."

Verstappen 'maxed' out while training with a view

As the son of Grand Prix driver Jos Verstappen, Max practically grew up in the F1 paddock around some of the iconic names of the sport.

“I was really young, but it was fun," he recalled. "I never really thought about that we were on holiday with the great Michael Schumacher - I was too young, and too busy playing with his son [Mick].

Verstappen admitted to having only limited interest in the history of his sport. Even a picture of two-time champion Jim Clark didn't evoke any recognition from the 20-year-old.

"Guys like Sebastian Vettel love the old cars and bikes, I’m more modern," he said. "I do know a bit about it, but my knowledge doesn’t stretch that far back.

"I know the names, but the really old cars don’t really have my interest. I’d never really have the urge to drive those cars - they’re just too old, too slow.

"Although anything driven on the limit is challenging, it just doesn’t do it for me."

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.