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With thirteen titles between them, Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher are among the greatest drivers in Formula 1 history.
Max Verstappen narrowly missed out on matching Michael Schumacher’s record of winning five consecutive drivers’ championships.
Schumacher’s record would be even more impressive were it not for Fernando Alonso bringing his run of victories to an end in 2005.
Fill in the gap: Max Verstappen will finish his F1 career with _____ titles
The 2026 campaign will mark 20 years since Alonso’s last championship win, but Aston Martin already have high hopes that they can deliver a car worthy of the Spaniard’s incredibly high standards.
Damon Hill raced against Schumacher during his career, with the pair famously clashing on multiple occasions before the Brit finally got the better of him in 1996 to win his only title.
He’s been speaking about what makes Verstappen such a worthy F1 champion, and why he’s now reminded of Schumacher and Alonso when he watches him race.
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Damon Hill thinks Max Verstappen is ‘perfect’ in his precision just like Michael Schumacher
Hill was speaking on the Drive to Wynn Podcast about the 2025 season, and he said: “Lando’s world champion, Oscar is, as you said is clearly world championship material; there’s plenty of other drivers in there that are world championship material who will materialise.
“You’ve got some on the way out. I mean, how long Lewis can keep going, I don’t know and but Fernando is still punching above his age.
“You’ve got Max, who is again, I think considered by nearly everyone as, in the same way that Michael was, he’s considered to be the target, the guy that is almost unbeatable.
“He can be beaten, it’s just a question of getting the circumstances.
“So the quality of the field is really important. You don’t want to win a world championship where everyone says well, your opponent wasn’t worthy.”
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Asked more about Verstappen and his comparison to Schumacher, Hill continued: “He’s incredibly precise.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever watched him do a qualifying lap around somewhere like Suzuka, which is a terrifyingly fast track.
“He is millimetre perfect, and he can put his car right on the very edge of the track, which you need every single millimetre of track you can get to get the best line, and he does that.
“His precision is incredible, his eyesight must be extraordinary, considering the amount of time he spends in front of his TV screen on a computer, it’s amazing he’s got any eyesight at all.
“But you need that you and he’s only 28 as well as I said, he’s coming into his prime.”
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Damon Hill believes Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso are the best communicators in F1
Hill was then asked about how much emphasis is put on the drivers to deliver feedback to their teams, and he went on to say: “The Schumachers and the Verstappens are able to communicate what’s going on and think about other things.
“I think Fernando’s great at that. I think that some drivers are not so good; they seem to be a bit confused when they come on the radio.
“But there’s a lot to think about, and there’s a lot to do, as you said, and the teams rely on them being able to manage all those buttons.”
Alonso rates Verstappen incredibly highly, and it’s a shame that the pair have never been given the chance to race wheel-to-wheel very often.
The Spaniard achieved eight podiums in 2023, but Red Bull were so dominant that year that Verstappen was barely even challenged by teammate Sergio Perez.
Alonso shows no signs of slowing down, and Ralf Schumacher comments on Lance Stroll highlight just how clear the 44-year-old is of his teammate.
Lewis Hamilton has been told to learn from Verstappen’s radio messages, and if he’s leading the seven-time world champion in that department, then it’s clear that he’s at the top of his game in that area as well.
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