Ayrton Senna is one of the greatest ever drivers to grace Formula 1. Fans often regard the iconic Brazilian as one of the very best in business, as very few can manage the level he was at. However, Helmut Marko saw the same spark in Max Verstappen even before the Dutchman debuted in 2015.

Talking about the comparison, the Austrian team’s sporting director once stated, “Most likely Ayrton Senna [in the same level]. And in such a case, you must not look at his age. He has been talking with people who are experts when it comes to the development of youngsters and they all say that (in terms of) his mind he is more like 22 than 16.”

“And regarding his skills behind the steering wheel, he has been racing since he was four years old—professionally. So we expect him to be competitive from the first race. We are not playing the lottery—we know what we are doing. And success proves us right,“ further stated Marko, the veteran executive at Red Bull in a report published by Bleacher Report.

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Verstappen debuted with Toro Rosso in 2015 when he was 17 years and 166 days. Aged 18, he debuted for Red Bull and won the very first race he competed in, the Spanish Grand Prix. He hence became the youngest-ever driver and first Dutch driver to win a Grand Prix race.

Can we compare Max Verstappen with the great Ayrton Senna?

Max Verstappen is currently the best driver on the grid presently. If not the name, the statistics talk for him. When a driver wins 15 races in a season, it speaks volumes. However, are they enough to be compared to the legend of the game, Ayrton Senna?

In his fascinating F1 career that lasted a decade, the Brazilian amassed 41 wins in 161 race starts he had under his name. He picked up 80 podiums and 65 pole positions as well. Importantly, the man who just lived 34 years picked up three driver’s championships in 1988, 1990, and 1991.

When it comes to Verstappen, the Dutchman picked up 35 wins in his eight-year career so far. In the 163 starts he had, the 25-year-old driver clinched 77 podiums and 20 pole positions. Verstappen currently is the defending F1 champion, as he claimed back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022.

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Statistically, Senna is in a slightly better place as he picked up three championships as compared to Verstappen’s two in an almost equal number of races. However, Verstappen is just 25 years old and has many more years with him to accomplish greatness and prove Helmut Marko right, maybe.