Just two years ago, Max Verstappen was embroiled in a monumental battle with Lewis Hamilton for the 2021 drivers’ championship. Now, just over 700 days later, he is a three-times world champion.
Verstappen arrived into Formula 1 with a degree of hype and expectation arguably no driver has ever had before. The youngest F1 driver in history, Verstappen had to learn so much as a driver under the ever present watch of the F1 paddock and millions of fans watching around the world.Despite this, over his record-breaking career to date, Verstappen has produced some incredibly memorable performances where even if he was to retire at the end of this season, he would already have a catalogue of famous drivers few could ever hope to amass.
But which performances from Verstappen’s career so far stand out most to the writers of RaceFans?
Imola 2014: Pass masterclass
What makes Verstappen such a thrilling talent to watch is his affinity for wheel-to-wheel racecraft, his dogged and indefatigable pursuit of the rival ahead of him. It’s reminiscent of watching the likes of Nigel Mansell or Juan Pablo Montoya.
Sadly, modern Formula 1 with its infernal Drag Reduction System and designed-to-degrade tyres is often a poor showcase for such skills. Older footage of Verstappen in action captures him at his hustling, improvisational best.
As a result his driving in the weekend’s opening race verged on desperate at times, and left the threat of a one-race ban hanging over his head. Regardless, Verstappen dialled it up to 11 again in the second race and served up a breath-taking display of sheer overtaking prowess.
On the first lap he dispensed with Nick Cassidy and Lucas Auer, and gained another spot from Roy Nissany who ran wide at Piratella. Gaining superb traction from Rivazza 2, Verstappen picked off Jake Dennis on lap three and two tours later lunged down the inside of an unsuspecting Will Buller at Tamburello.
A Safety Car period delayed his progress, but when it went in he immediately pounced on Nicholas Latifi. Ocon attempted to cover the inside line at Tamburello but the fully-committed Verstappen swept around the points leader. When Antonio Fuoco peeled off into the pits to have a tyre changed, Verstappen was into the podium positions.
Trading fastest laps with race-long leader Tom Blomqvist, who was too far gone to catch by this stage, Verstappen closed on the other Carlin driver in second place. Antonio Giovinazzi pushed the rules to the limit as the final lap began, covering the inside at Tamburello then crowding Verstappen on the outside. As they sprinted to the Rivazzas, Giovinazzi defended hard again, but spoiled his line through the final corner.
Verstappen sniffed the opportunity, slipstreamed his rival to the finishing line and drew alongside. The future three-times Formula 1 world champion capped his masterpiece of a drive by nicking second place from a stunned Giovinazzi by less than two-hundredths of a second.
Keith Collantine
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Catalunya 2016: Instant speed
Verstappen’s stand-out performances have come thick and fast throughout his career, so much so we’re starting to become complacent and take his excellence for granted. For me, it was how Verstappen handled the pressure of his sudden promotion to Red Bull and navigated his first qualifying session for the team which ranks as his most impressive performance.
But Verstappen was the faster Red Bull driver for most of the qualifying session, outpacing his much more experienced team mate. The young 18-year-old hadn’t driven the Red Bull before first practice a day earlier, having been dropped in to replace Daniil Kvyat. Ricciardo managed to beat him by four tenths of a second in the end, but Verstappen lined up immediately behind him in fourth on the grid, behind the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
That qualifying performance, with next to no prior car knowledge and early in his second season in F1, convinced Red Bull it had an absolute megastar on its hands. Red Bull knew he was seriously quick but they were blown away by his execution in a car that was based on other drivers’ preferences.
It’s easy to forget how much scepticism greeted Verstappen’s arrival in F1 as a 17-year-old and rapid promotion to the senior Red Bull team. When eventually went on to win the race, the remaining doubters were silenced, Red Bull never looked back.
Claire Cottingham
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Interlagos 2016: Wet weather mastery
For modern examples of amazing wet-weather drives, Verstappen’s 2016 Brazilian Grand Prix comeback stands out.
The wet conditions meant a Safety Car start, with no green flags until lap eight. Immediately Verstappen attacked, making a huge – and perfectly executed – lunge on Kimi Raikkonen for third.
The race was later red-flagged as the conditions worsened. When green flag action returned Verstappen swept around Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes at turn three, and quickly left the eventual champion behind.
Verstappen pulled away so much that when he almost crashed out, locking the brakes after sliding onto the pit straight and then releasing them just in time to flick his car away from the wall, he didn’t lose position.
Pitting for intermediate tyres dropped him to fifth, and during another Safety Car period he returned to full wet weather tyres. What he then did from 14th was stunning. There were turn one passes on the inside and outside, a repeat of his turn three sweeper, and two successful lunges elsewhere.
Felipe Nasr almost pushed him off but Verstappen was unintimidated, sweeping by with one wheel on the grass. Verstappen later passed Sebastian Vettel, leaving no room for one of F1’s biggest names. He finally regained his place on the podium after spending several corners in a side-by-side scrap with future team mate Sergio Perez.
Ida Wood
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Red Bull Ring 2019: Polished performer
By 2019 Ricciardo had seen the writing on the wall and left Red Bull. It therefore fell to Verstappen to lead the team to the first victory of its new and ultimately highly successful partnership with power unit supplier Honda.
He started second, but dropped to seventh after falling into anti-stall off the line. However, Verstappen delivered a recovery drive where great patience helped him continue a brilliantly consistent start to the season.
On lap seven he overtook Lando Norris, and it only took two more tours for him to despatch Raikkonen. Hamilton, struggling with front wing damage, fell behind the Red Bull driver during their pit stops.
Verstappen was fourth at the halfway stage, but his next opportunity did not come until lap 50. He overtook Vettel at turn four, and within half-a-dozen laps had taken Valtteri Bottas as well. That left Charles Leclerc, Verstappen’s rival from his karting days, as the only obstacle between him and victory.
With four laps left, Verstappen made his first attack. Leclerc repelled that one, but Verstappen retaliated the next time around, taking the lead at turn three. It was a muscular move, Verstappen edging Leclerc off the track, but to Ferrari’s dismay the stewards declared it legal.
Verstappen was only 21 at the time, and had copped some flak for his aggressive moves before. This race showed he was getting a feel for where the limit was, a trait which served him well in the coming fight with Hamilton which would lead to his first world championship two years later.
Ed Hardy
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Spa-Francorchamps 2022: Domination
Whether they were delighted or disgusted by how Verstappen acquired the number one on his car, Verstappen spent 2022 proving to everyone why he was worthy of it.
With almost half the grid also taking power unit penalties, ‘back of the grid’ ultimately translated into 14th for Sunday’s race. Before he’d even hit the brake pedal for the first time in the race, Verstappen had already gained two places. Not content, he dived by Kevin Magnussen into La Source and later nailed Lance Stroll into the final hairpin to gain eighth by the end of the opening lap.
After a Safety Car period, he scythed his way through the field with ease. Alexander Albon, Ricciardo, Vettel, Fernando Alonso and George Russell all fell to him over the next four laps, giving him third as early as lap eight – which was only the fifth green flag lap.
Soon after, he dispatched his team mate Perez before setting his sights on catching leader Carlos Sainz Jnr, who’d inherited pole from Verstappen. After his first pit stop, he breezed by Sainz and into the lead on lap 18 – his journey from 14th on the grid to the head of the field lasting just 36 minutes and just under 130 kilometres.
From that point, he was gone. Just 26 laps later, Verstappen was taking the chequered flag almost 18 seconds ahead of Perez and nearly half a minute clear of the nearest non-Red Bull. It had been a masterful display by a soon-to-be two-times champion from 14th on the grid and the signature win from the 2022 season.
Will Wood
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Over to you
Which of Verstappen’s drives do you consider his best? Have your say in the comments.
Round Table
- RaceFans’ writers name their favourite motorsport moments of 2023
- Unsung heroes: Four stars not in cars from the 2023 Formula 1 season
- Verstappen’s season was the most successful ever – but was it the most impressive?
- Do Red Bull get the credit they deserve for their unrivalled success?
- After Lawson’s unexpected debut, which other drivers deserve a shot in F1?
Robert Henning
12th October 2023, 7:22
COTA 21, Zandvoort 21 and 23, 70th Anniversary GP 20, Miami 22, France 21, Imola 21 were all exceptional drives as well. In each of those races it was very easy to drop the ball but as it has become common with him, he doesn’t.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
12th October 2023, 8:33
I’m pleased the first race anyone mentioned in the comments was the 2021 United States Grand Prix – it was my second choice! Belting drive.
Stephen Taylor
12th October 2023, 10:27
His drive in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix in 2020 was outstanding too. I personally think that is one of Max’s best wins along with Mexico 2017.
SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
12th October 2023, 11:42
For sure, in a season where Mercedes were perhaps the most untouchable in their entire career, the entire season was a high point for Max, one where everyone knew he was ready to be WDC but simply had no chance to do so. And then this weekend, where he just finally got to pounce and win one. Great performance, definitely a standout.
Robert Henning
12th October 2023, 18:43
Indeed. Was also a symbol for the title fight as a whole. Verstappen and Hamilton fighting almost a minute ahead of 3rd. Strategy calls, tire management, pressure. Immense race. A classic one for sure.
Frank
12th October 2023, 11:09
100% agreement
Verstappen won himself the title in US 2021, France 2021 and Imola 2021 by winning races that could have been won by Hamilton as well. Especially US and France were impressive. In Imola, Hamilton let him off the hook and he also survived a clumsy off during a SC period.
70th anniversary 2020 was also very impressive, in a season where he was the only driver that could bother the almighty Mercedes. Verstappen 2020 was perhaps more impressive than Schumacher 1996 imho, even though it did not feature a Catalunya 1996 drive.
Robert Henning
12th October 2023, 18:44
Hamilton had plenty of errors in 2021. One of his weaker years. Maybe he didn’t expect Max to be as consistent as he was. I think 2023 Hamilton has driven better than 2021 Hamilton so far.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th October 2023, 19:02
True, if you consider the car he has, he’s maximised the possible position, though the last race’s crash was definitely a low point, it was a good chance to gain on perez, considering perez was starting from the back and hamilton ahead.
Anuj Chopra
14th October 2023, 13:06
Yes 2021 Hamilton was not impressive. Abu Dhabi, HAM could have defended for 1 lap. Sergio defended against HAM for 3 laps in same race with much older tyres and much weaker engine. Ham panicked there otherwise he could have been WDC 21. People may point out Masi’s mistake but HAM also had the opportunity to defend.
That year Ham should have seen the defence from RB drivers in Brazil, Qatar, Abu Dhabi.
Markp
12th October 2023, 22:20
Best drive by Max….Abu Dhabi 2021. Oh theres my taxi I’ll get my coat.
Diez Cilindros (@diezcilindros)
12th October 2023, 8:03
Well, I usually think some performances are better considered because he went to win the race by a landslide, sometimes with a massive car advantage (BEL ’22 for instance). I agree with AUT ’19, but we cannot forget those performances when the Red Bull were slower than Mercedes and Ferrari, such as SIN ’18 (his lap in Q3 would be considered “lap of the century”… had Lewis been a bit more “normal”) or USA ’18.
But I really want to insist in QAT ’23: are we sure the Red Bull was the quickest car? Norris said he felt like he lost pole on Friday, McLaren 1-2 on Shootout, 1-3 on Sprint, and they were really, really close on Sunday. What if Max did a Grand Chelem without the best car? That’s Alonso’s SIN ’10 territory… and very few more examples.
Doggy
12th October 2023, 12:35
I often wonder if there is a reliable and accessible source (for us pedestrian) that will allow us to know which car was actually the fastest.
Russell and Norris both mentioned that they could have won they race had they were next to Max. Usually drivers say that it’s impossible to beat RB. This has been the 2nd time in the year (Singapore 1st) where it has not been the case.
With this I’m not saying, by any means, that RbR was slower than The Mercs and McLaren, but maybe even.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
12th October 2023, 13:48
RB told VER to pick up the pace and he went from 20 seconds ahead to 30 seconds ahead. RB had a slow pit stop for them, 2.5 seconds I believe, and VER won by 5 or so seconds. That car is the fastest. McLaren and Mercedes are kidding themselves. Just like in prior years, I expect RB to turn it down a notch to make McLaren and Mercedes think they have the answer as the season comes to a close. This worked well against Mercedes last year when they went into the off season and only made minor changes because they had dones so well at the end of the season. RB must have gotten a great laugh when Mercedes showed up to start this season with the same car.
Doggy
12th October 2023, 14:28
Hey @jimfromus, I understand what you’re saying here, but that still does not answer my question.
Lando and Russel (as any other driver) have access to more data than any of us combined. We only get (GP: “Max, pick up the pace”). Surely they get to see a whole different world of Intel that we are deprived to.
And here I post my question again, what benefit would get Russel and Norris saying they could have won the race?
If anything, such statement takes away from what they achieved during the race (which was outstanding BTW, particularly for Russel).
Also, if you have a website, that you could suggest, where I can see solid data please share it.
Jim from US (@jimfromus)
12th October 2023, 17:46
@Doggy
I don’t have any data. I’m going off of what I see. The Red Bull car fast and seems to be gentler on the tires. So even if the speed of the car is even with McLaren and Mercedes, it can go faster as the race goes on because the tires have more grip. Maybe that is why qualifying is close, but the races aren’t? And of course, credit to VER for driving the car on the fastest line, lap after lap, with fewer mistakes than other drivers.
Nick T.
12th October 2023, 19:02
You’re crazy. We all know Max’s most impressive move: taking Dani Kyvat’s seat and entire family (wife and child) in one fell swoop.
No, but seriously, there’s actually not a move that stands out to me as “never been done!” but his ability to find faster lines no one else seems to be able to see does stand out to me (a similar thing that always impressed me about Alonso).
GechiChan (@gechichan)
12th October 2023, 8:05
While the Spa win is great from a certain point of view, The wins and podiums in the 2021 season are some of the most outstanding races in his career, given that the car was not so dominant. That season, with all the controversies, still ranks as sheer masterclass from Max (and Lewis). That was incredible pressure on both of them to give it all while not making any mistakes, in cars that were really closely matched.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th October 2023, 9:46
Sorry, but I just can’t agree with people putting hamilton and verstappen 2021 at the same level: incredible pressure on both of them, one made mistakes, throwing away points like baku or potentially imola + off pace weekends, the other one didn’t. Surely that can’t be called a masterclass season by hamilton considering the amount of points thrown away of his own doing, he’s had better seasons.
Doggy
12th October 2023, 12:40
I’m in agreement with @esploratore1 here.
However, I think Lewis did an exceptional job in 2021. Something that no other driver in the grid could have done (but Max in this case).
Doggy
12th October 2023, 12:52
Why my comment got deleted? Initially it said: it’s under assessment” and now is gone.
I wrote nothing offensive nor toxic.
I’ll write it down again.
I agree with Esploratore for the most part. However, Lewis did a fantastic job in 2021.
No other driver in the grid would have been able to perform the way Lewis did (except Max in this case)
XV
12th October 2023, 18:27
Maybe it’s your username rather than the content?
Doggy
12th October 2023, 20:43
I’ve posted many times before and nothing of this sort happened.
Also, this nickname is how people have been calling me since kindergarten.
User (@user576)
12th October 2023, 16:02
As a Hamilton fan, the better driver won that season. Verstappen was lucky with steward leniancy at times but his driving was unbelievably good and Hamilton was lucky to stay in the championship considering the mistakes you mentioned.
Anuj Chopra
14th October 2023, 13:09
2021 Hamilton was not impressive. Abu Dhabi, HAM could have defended for 1 lap. Sergio defended against HAM for 3 laps in same race with much older tyres and much weaker engine. Ham panicked there otherwise he could have been WDC 21. People may point out Masi’s mistake but HAM also had the opportunity to defend.
That year Ham should have seen the defence from RB drivers in Brazil, Qatar, Abu Dhabi.
SteveP
12th October 2023, 8:17
Interesting choice of pictures for the top of the story.
Bottom right photo – All four wheels beyond track limits. What are you suggesting… ??
As to the question of which is his best drive – I’m not sure I could say, but I do think you’d have to say that some of his best have been while racing Hamilton in a comparable performance car. You also have to say that some of his worst have been racing against Hamilton in a comparable performance car.
I don’t think that any of the 2022-2023 races are worth considering, as there has been no close competition. The closeness at Qatar, combined with the messages from GP suggest that there is currently some sand bagging going on.
Doggy
12th October 2023, 12:46
SteveP, I disagree to some extent with your assessment.
The first half of 2022, could easily had Lecrerc leading the championship have him/Ferrari not bottled it.
Let’s remember that Ferrari destroyed everyone in Australia 2022 for example.
G
12th October 2023, 18:17
Ferrari were favourites for the French GP in 2022 which was past the halfway point in the season. People forget that, or assume RBR were more dominant than they were just because Ferrari and Leclerc were making so many errors.
Robert Henning
12th October 2023, 18:46
People conflate success with dominance. RBs dominance in 2022 was only from Spa onwards. Even after Spa plenty of races were somewhat close. RB this year is what I’d call a dominant team. Best at everything.
SteveP
12th October 2023, 19:07
Nit-pick item – McLaren picked up the record for the fastest pit stop recently. So RBR not best at everything.
Alan Dove
12th October 2023, 8:30
Technically he’s 4x World Champion. If he does WEC at some point he could be a 3 category World Champion potentially which I believe would be a first?
His drive at Varennes in 2013 was just an education really, pretty much the whole of his 2013 season bar Bahrain in KF. What I saw that year at PFi, in terms of base quality, is really no different that what we are witnessing now. Just the level he was at was unbelievable.
SteveP
12th October 2023, 9:18
Technically/in reality (but not in the records) he’s a 2x world champion
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th October 2023, 9:49
If there’s a year where verstappen was really impressive it’s 2021 and you want to take that away! Mostly cause the competition didn’t really have the car most of 2022 and at all in 2023.
SteveP
12th October 2023, 9:58
Note that I’ve previously stated that I feel his best (and worst) drives were in a comparable pace car and racing Hamilton – even “Max-is-God” fans would say that he had excellent races in 2021, whereas 2022 & 2023 are a “no competition to speak of” period.
However, a certain race director ruined the whole season 2021 for everyone. Even Max fans.
SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
12th October 2023, 11:35
Time to touch some grass and move on.
David (@nvherman)
13th October 2023, 10:15
Didn’t ruin it for me. Get over yourself.
Robert Henning
13th October 2023, 19:13
You should really consider staying away from F1 for a good while. It’ll be good for you.
Tommy Scragend
12th October 2023, 14:26
You have a strange idea of reality.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th October 2023, 9:50
I don’t understand the 4x world champion either though, before 2021 he didn’t really have the car to even fight for the title, let alone winning it, just the occasional races.
Alan Dove
12th October 2023, 10:18
3x FIA F1 World Champion
1x FIA KZ Karting World Champion
– 4x FIA World Champion
Craig
12th October 2023, 16:17
If we start counting every FIA title then there’s likely quite a few drivers with far more titles then Vestappen.
Alan Dove
12th October 2023, 17:53
Exclusively World Championships. Max has 4.
Also, I am trying to find a driver with more than 2 different category World Championship titles. There’s a few on two, but not three. Max could certainly grab a WEC title if the team/car fit into place well enough. but the BoP kinda makes the championship racing almost irrelevant nowadays.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th October 2023, 18:58
Ahh, ok, not familiar with those minor categories.
Alan Dove
12th October 2023, 20:12
They aren’t minor. They are FiA World Championship elite standard.
Sumedh
12th October 2023, 11:56
Surprised that none of his ’21 drives made it to this list.
COTA’ 21, Netherlands’21 and Russia’21 were standout drives. He was at his consummate best on these weekends.
Señor Sjon
12th October 2023, 13:37
Russia ’21 was very odd to see him almost winning that race from the back. The final few laps in the rain gained him a massive amount of positions.
Not mentioned here, but the race he earned his RB contract in F1 should also be considered. He schooled the field every lap on those 3-corner laps in heavy rain.
Oldiron
12th October 2023, 15:13
COTA ’21 would be my pick too. Although slightly through gritted teeth as it was for exemplary tyre management (and I remain grumpy thats so critical for F1 success). It was also made much harder for Max by losing the start, else it would have been a simple win – but thats a stroke of luck for the rest of us :)
Netherlands ’21 was just controlling the race and winning at the slowest necesary pace (not saying its a bad job, just not a top pick).
Russia ’21 was a stroke of luck, it was headed for a minor points finish until the rain helped out
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
12th October 2023, 12:05
I’d also add Germany 2019. Such a bizarre and chaotic race but he handled it superbly and brought it home in quite commanding fashion.
jhg103 (@joshgeake)
12th October 2023, 12:18
2023 and 2022 have shown him to be a mature driver that’s capable of getting the best out of the car. It’s impressive but it’s not exciting or especially memorable.
My favourite Max races are from when he and Hamilton were battering the rest of the field throughout 2021 and he didn’t win them all. That Saudi clash, the Abu Dhabi restarts (not to mention the last lap), Interlagos, USA (they finished 40s ahead of 3rd), Baku’s memorable domination but then tyre explosion. Even in Bahrain they both finished 40s ahead of Bottas in a 56 lap race.
Today’s Netflix generation were 100% spoilt in 2021. It was amazing.
Coventry Climax
12th October 2023, 14:04
@racefans:
Would be nice to have a similar article, or maybe even a series of articles, of the World champion(s) before him.
First up would be Hamilton ofcourse. Then, going further back, Rosberg, Vettel, Button, Raikkönen, Alonso etc.
Doggy
12th October 2023, 16:11
+1
Sumedh
12th October 2023, 15:43
He didn’t gain massively. He was already up from 20th to 7th before the rain fell.. And he pitted on lap 48 which is same as Carlos who was P3 prior and after the rain shower. All his overtakes from P7 to P2 were on track or due to his reading of the conditions well.
It was a great performance by Max
F1 frog (@f1frog)
12th October 2023, 17:07
Would any of these get a 10/10 on the driver ratings for racefans? I agree with all the choices and would also say that USA 2021 is the most notable omission.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
12th October 2023, 18:53
Good question, I don’t believe so, surely for example verstappen would get a penalty for the spin in brazil 2016 or the really bad start in austria 2019, it was a good race, but he had the (marginally) fastest car too, if you start in front you just go off into the distance with such a car.
There’s nothing really stellar as far as I see, which is required for a 10, also true that without being able to drive in the extreme conditions of the 90s it might simply be impossible nowadays.
The Dolphins
12th October 2023, 21:23
In my opinion, his best & worst came out at Interlagos. Best being Interlagos 2016 and the otherworldly driving in weather which only a handful of years later would be cause for a Safety Car parade. Worst being Interlagos 2018 and the on- and off-track battles with Ocon.
EvenSteven
12th October 2023, 23:55
I actually like COTA15.
Changing conditions during The race where he was fighting The Ferrari’s (that were far quicker than Torro Rosso at the time) for almost The entire race.
Illusive (@illusive)
13th October 2023, 8:02
2021 might look like much on the surface but it was one of the greatest drives I have seen a driver put under immense pressure. He was on a different level that day in terms of managing the tyre life to absolute perfection, not to forget the suggestions he was giving to his engineer to checo while driving his own race.
melanos
13th October 2023, 21:23
Brazil 2016, what a drive, what a freaky control. I do not think Max has ever surpassed himself in these seven years, He has won maturity and consistence but not pace and control.
Many in the know say that Fangio’s Nordschleife in 1957 was the best F1 drive ever. El Chueco is my hero and I accept it. I know the lap-by-lap stats but have not watched it. And I am sure that Ascari, Moss and Clark performed some astonishing drives also, but my F1 watching career began with Sir Jackie Stewart.
Now I reckon Hungaroring 2006 as the best drive ever in my 50-odd F1 watching career, and an incredibly unlucky one. Most people will remember as Jenson Button’s maiden win (after 113 races!) or maybe as Robert Kubica’s debut (how unlucky he was, I thought he was poised to be one of the greats). But Fernando Alonso, starting 15th due to some practice penalty, left everybody behind before you can say Népszabadság and didn’t come to win one of the most astonishing victories ever by no fault of his own, when in the last pitstop a mechanic failed to attach the left rear nut properly causing a DNF. I have never seen a lap to compare to Fred’s eleven overtakes in lap one, and yes, I know Ayrton Senna’s efforts at Donnington Park and Monaco so please do not remind me.
But immediately after the Hungaroring 2006 I’d place Brazil 2016 as the best drive of these last fifteen-odd years (and again not crowned by a victory, although Max got an unexpected podium).
So if you ask me I’d say Max landed in Brazil 2016 maybe the 3rd best drive in all of F1, behind Fred’s 2006 Hungaroring misfortune and JMF’s uberdrive at the Noirdschleife 1957, where he was literally putting his life on the line in every corner of the last 9 laps, after a disastrous pitstop left him about a minute behind Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins.