Nov.17 (GMM) Max Verstappen says he is determined to keep his feet planted amid comparisons with the great Ayrton Senna.
Many believe the young Dutchman’s performance in Brazil was the best in F1 since Senna’s amazing display in similarly wet conditions at Donington in 1993.
Indeed, F1 legend Niki Lauda, who is team chairman at Red Bull’s arch rival Mercedes, hailed Max’s performance with a rare dip of his famous red cap when talking to his father Jos after the race.
“He does not do it very often, so it’s very nice to see that he did it towards my father,” Verstappen told the Dutch media at a sponsor event in Amsterdam.
What really triggered the Senna comparisons was the way Verstappen, 19, abandoned the usual racing line at Interlagos as he searched successfully for more grip.
“I was already trying many different racing lines behind the safety car,” he confirmed.
“It was a bit like karting, only in a bigger car, but at the limit, sliding and slithering.”
As for all the talk of him being Senna-esque, however, Verstappen vowed to not let it all go to his head.
“It is all very well what is written, but it’s important to remain cool and calm,” he said. “You should always keep improving, because it’s never good enough.”