Max Verstappen (R) gets great pleasure demoralizing 7-time world champion Lewis Hamilton (L)
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F1: Lauda thought Verstappen was better than Hamilton

Posted by AR1 staff

3-time F1 World Champion, and Mercedes F1 Non-Executive Chairman, Niki Lauda thought Max Verstappen was better than even Lewis Hamilton.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Lauda passed away over three years ago, and is missed by the Mercedes F1 team.

Niki Lauda (AUT) Mercedes AMG F1 Non-Executive Chairman at Formula One World Championship, Rd10, British Grand Prix, Practice, Silverstone, England, Friday 14 July 2017.
Niki Lauda (AUT) Mercedes AMG F1 Non-Executive Chairman at Formula One World Championship, Rd10, British Grand Prix, Practice, Silverstone, England, Friday 14 July 2017.

Niki played a crucial role in convincing Lewis Hamilton to join the team in the run-up to the 2013 season: “He gave the team credibility, and that gave the team a big push. Everybody knew Niki – when he set his mind to doing something, he never went about it half-heartedly,” said Toto Wolff.

While with Mercedes, Hamilton has set many F1 records, breaking Michael Schumacher’s record of most wins, most poles, and tying him with 7 World Championships – a record.

Yet, Lauda always felt that Max Verstappen was the greatest driver he ever saw.

In this interview, he called Verstappen “the talent of the century.”

“I’ve never seen someone in motorsport who switched cars and went straight to win the Grand Prix. That has never happened before, and it will never happen again, I’d say.”