F1: Verstappen is a once in a generation talent

Ex-F1 driver and now Sky Sports TV analyst, Karun Chandhok said “I think we’ve seen a different Max,” Chandhok told Sky Sports F1 at the Japanese GP. “I think the shackles have come off from last year.

“I think those drives we saw at places like Spa and Monza where he was considered, he didn’t go for those half gaps that we saw him go for in the past for example, and he just picked his way through the field. And he won, they were equally as impressive as the wins he had like today, dominating from the front.

“And listen, he is a once in a generation talent like Lewis [Hamilton], like Fernando, like Michael [Schumacher], like [Ayrton] Senna, he is, we’re seeing it.

“We’re very lucky to see Lewis and Verstappen going head-to-head because we don’t often get to see that at the peak of their abilities.”

Will Buxton, F1 Digital Presenter: “I raced against Max when he was coming up through the junior ranks.

“I can’t really say I raced Max, given the gulf in our levels of ability, but I was fortunate enough to share a track with him for three races of the Florida Winter Series in 2014, his first competitive single seater championship on graduating karts.

Will Buxton and Max Verstappen at the 2014 Florida Winter Series

“It was, ostensibly, a winter training school, set up by Ferrari for their juniors. But what was incontestably apparent was that the shining light in the group was not one of the Scuderia’s own. The championship featured open data sharing after every session, and the overlays were evidence that even with his lack of experience in comparison to his fellow drivers, Max was doing things the others simply could not.

2014 Florida Winter Series – #3 Max Verstappen at Sebring

“He got up their noses, frustrating them with his pace and raw, sometimes borderline race craft, a trait which would create so many early headlines. He was a cut above, and everyone knew it, his consistently improving form and no-s**** – given approach creating a clear target on himself as the coming man. It was a target drawn in indelible ink and one, much to his older and more experienced rivals’ chagrin, they were only really ever able to view on his back.

Jolyon Palmer, Former F1 driver and F1.com analyst said, “I raced against Max in F1.

“Probably the standout from my time racing with him was that Brazil drive in 2016. Conditions were abhorrent – aquaplaning, zero visibility and plenty of incident, myself included.

Kimi Raikkonen of Finland driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF16-H Ferrari 059/5 turbo (Shell GP) leads Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB12 TAG Heuer on track during the Formula One Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 13, 2016 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

“This was one of Max’s great drives, as he remarkably held a half spin on the final corner – one which was catching out everybody that day. His quick-thinking recovery was a cut above the rest who ended in the barriers. His charge after a late pit stop was also superb. To scythe through in those conditions was outstanding. It’s easy to forget, that was only his second season, but it was a drive that marked him out as special.”