Otmar Szafnauer, former Formula 1 team principal, believes that Max Verstappen is still improving and hasn’t yet reached his full potential—even after winning four world championships.
Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast, Szafnauer compared Verstappen to other greats in the sport. He named Sebastian Vettel as the best driver he’s worked with and cited Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton as the toughest rivals. Asked about Verstappen, Szafnauer said, “Well, I don’t think Max is at his peak yet. I think he’s going to get better.”
Verstappen, currently sixth in the standings and under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2030, remains committed to the team despite swirling rumors of retirement or a move elsewhere. “It’s like a second family for me,” Verstappen said after announcing his contract extension. “We’ve won four titles together… Hopefully, we can just keep working together and try to get back to the top.”
With new challenges ahead and a hunger for more success, Verstappen’s best may still be yet to come.
