Max Verstappen may not have spent as long in Formula 1 as Michael Schumacher, but the Red Bull driver has already done enough to sit alongside him among the sport’s all-time greats.
Verstappen currently sits third in both wins and podiums behind Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton, and is just three titles shy of matching their championship records. This has naturally fuelled ongoing debates over who deserves the title of F1’s greatest.
The Verstappens were close to the Schumachers, and Max later told Blick that he grew up calling the seven-time world champion ‘Uncle Michael’.
Michael Schumacher played a significant role in Verstappen’s early development. Now a four-time champion with Red Bull, Verstappen’s career path has continued to draw comparisons to his childhood hero.
Ralf Schumacher believes Max shares his brother’s greatest strength: an ability to thrive under pressure and consistently outperform teammates. Damon Hill has also noted similarities in their precision, likening Verstappen’s approach to that of both Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.
Verstappen himself has noticed those connections too, admitting that they share similar traits—and he may be right.
Max Verstappen on his similarities with Michael Schumacher
Reflecting on their time together, Verstappen shared a memory from when he was just five, standing in the pit lane with Schumacher, who was with Ferrari at the time.
He told Blick: “A lovely memory with pictures and videos. Because my father Jos was Schumacher’s teammate at Benetton in 1994, the families knew each other for many years afterwards. We even spent a few holidays together. I knew him as Uncle Michael.”
“He was a driver who worked tirelessly and gave his all. For him, only victory counted, no matter how it was achieved.”
Asked about their similarities, Verstappen replied: “On the track he was completely focused, just like me. But at home he took care of his family and gave them the attention they deserved.”
The way Verstappen managed to close a 104-point gap after Zandvoort to finish just two points behind Lando Norris by season’s end highlights exactly why those comparisons keep coming up.
How Verstappen’s legacy could stack up against Schumacher’s
With the way Verstappen has dominated in recent years, there’s a real chance he could get close to – or even surpass – some of Schumacher’s biggest records.
He’s already overtaken one, breaking Schumacher’s Ferrari podium record when he finished second in Canada for Red Bull. Verstappen now sits just 21 wins and 29 podiums away from passing the German legend, which is a gap that could be closed over the next couple of seasons.
Verstappen has made it clear he isn’t chasing seven world championships, though. Speaking about comparisons between him and Schumacher, he told Blick:
“Yes, on the track and in my private life. But after more than 230 races, my goal is definitely not to chase seven world championship titles.
“For me, there is nothing more important than my family and my children. They are the motivation that you can only get within your own four walls.”
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