David Coulthard is one of the most memorable drivers of the late 1990s and 2000s, and his record boasts 13 Formula 1 victories, as well as a runner-up finish in 2001 with McLaren.
The Scot is an authoritative voice within the paddock, and it is common to see him with the pilots in interviews after getting off the car, even traveling with them by plane. For this reason, you have to pay attention to his words every time he speaks, and he has given his opinion about the current world champion, Max Verstappen.
“He’s already one of the best in history, really,” he explained when asked if the Dutchman had what it takes to become a vintage driver. “I noticed that I was mature when I was in my twenties, and I think I was at my best when I started in my thirties, so it means there’s a lot more to come from Max.”
“He’s extraordinarily mature for his young age,” the Scot told Viaplay F1 Talks alongside Mika Hakkinen and Tom Kristensen . “Let’s not forget that he was 17 years old when he entered Formula 1, and that he won his first race at 18.
“The fact that he took the opportunity [in his first Grand Prix with Red Bull] and won makes him exceptional. All Formula 1 drivers are good, as are all top flight footballers, but it’s about finding those who are extraordinary,” commented David Coulthard .
The former McLaren and Red Bull player, among others, said he was very impressed with how Verstappen managed fame: “If you meet him on the street, he’s an ordinary guy. That’s how he talks to you, he doesn’t behave like he’s champion of the world and a billionaire.
“We’ve been in that world for a long time and we know that people can change because of fame and fortune, and the fact that he’s so open to interacting with people I think won’t change. He’s 24 and still like that,” he continued.
According to Coulthard, the reigning world champion legitimately took the title, and he knew he was going to win at the last lap: “I knew I would either crash and be champion, or I’d overtake him and I would have won too, but I didn’t expect let it happen so soon.”
“He showed his fighting spirit again, even if there is no gap, he goes for it, and that makes him a worthy champion from my point of view. He managed to get inside Lewis Hamilton’s head, and he knew he had to give “, he continued.
“No other driver has that effect on Lewis, who is a fantastic driver and deserved to win that race, but I also think Max deserved the title because of his fighting spirit,” Coulthard said.
