After defeating Hamilton in the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi G𒁏rand Prix to win hi🤪s first world title, Verstappen has dominated the past two seasons, winning 34 of the 44 races and taking both championships. 

The Dutchman first burst onto the F1 scene when he made his debut for Toro Rosso in 2015 aged just 17, before becoming the sport’s youngest grand prix victor when he won on his ✱Red Bull debut the following year.

And Verstappen’s impact on F1 has been hailed by AlphaTauri team manager Graham Watson, who likened his popularity to that of legendary seven-time world champion 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Michael Schumacher. 

“Max is the be♕st thing that has happened to Formula 1,” Watson told, via Formule1. 

“When Max went from us to Red Bull, I c👍ompared it to Michael Schumacher’s move to Ferrari. He made Formula 1 immensely popular at the time. Just look at the old images of Hockenheim and S🐼pa: the stands were full with Schumacher flags. 

“I think Max single-handedly saved Formula 1. Because he brings the same intensity and generates interest. People come en masse to Austria, Spa, actually everywhere for him. I didn’t even see that back in Schumacher’s tim☂e. My wife is 60 y🅷ears old, but a big fan of Max. Because of his style, because of the excitement he creates on track.”

Watson also appeare⭕d to question Hamilton’s commitment to F1. 

“Max brings a whole new audience to Formula 1. Lewis Hamilton isꦛ very talented, but is𝄹 involved in so many things that people wonder: is he a Formula 1 driver or not? He’s associated with so many other things. 

“Lewis Hamilton is a brand, Max Verstappen is a Formula 1 driver. And that won’t change. I’m not saying that what Hamilton is doing is⛦ wrong, but he’s not the nerd like Max. When guys like that are not in the car, they’re in the simulator or in a kart. They’re always trying to improve themselves.”