Max Verstappen made the Dutch Grand Prix’s return to the F1 calendar a remarkable one. With brilliant racecraft and a responsive strategy from Red Bull, the Dutchman scored a crucial victory as the title fight intensifies further.

Over the years, Verstappen established himself as the top driver of Red Bull. Despite having some of the most talented drivers as his teammates, few could match the 23-year-old’s level. After an exciting race in Zandvoort, Formula 1’s Managing Director of Motorsport, Ross Brawn, compared him with Michael Schumacher.

Ross Brawn draws parallels between Max Verstappen and Michael Schumacher

Despite having Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon as former teammates, the Dutchman’s ability to extract the maximum from the car made even a bad day look better than most drivers’ good days. Although Sergio Perez brought more consistency this season, Verstappen continues to outperform the Mexican consistently despite sharing the same machinery.

In his regular post-race column, Brawn mentioned how Verstappen’s performances remind him of Schumacher during his career. During his stint with Ferrari, the German had Eddie Irvine and Rubens Barrichello as his long-time teammates.

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Brawn wrote, “We’re seeing that nobody can sit with Max at the same team. It’s a compounding effect. I saw it with Michael Schumacher and his team mates. The difference between two drivers in the same team can be small, but somehow it gets multiplied because of the frustration of never being able to close that gap to these truly exceptional drivers.”

The Briton believes chasing Verstappen hurt his teammates during their stints with the Austrian outfit. “You end up trying too hard or overcompensating and that pushes you back,” said Brawn. “We saw it with Pierre and Alex Albon and we’re seeing it with Sergio. Max is just exceptional and coming to terms with that with a driver in the same team is challenging.”

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Can Verstappen keep the momentum going in Monza?

After an impressive victory in front of a lively home crowd, Verstappen returned to the top of the driver’s championship. However, he leads Lewis Hamilton by just three points as the Italian Grand Prix inches closer.

Although Mercedes have found more pace after the summer break, Red Bull still look a step ahead of the defending champions. Verstappen will hope this momentum can continue in the ‘Temple of Speed’ as the championship now enters its business end.

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