Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 F1 World Champion, recently praised Max Verstappen but drew a clear line: he doesn't rank him above legends like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.Why it matters:Verstappen's four consecutive titles (2021-2024) and 65 Grand Prix wins place him among the sport's elite. However, Villeneuve's comments spark debate about Verstappen's historical standing, especially when comparing different eras.The big picture:Villeneuve believes Verstappen, "a pure racer," wouldn't stand out as much in previous eras. He told RacingNews365 that in the time of Senna and Prost, "you had five drivers like Max Verstappen every year." Today, he argues, "you only have Max in a field of good drivers," indicating a changed competitive landscape.The details:* Villeneuve states Verstappen "is not better than the top drivers of the past."* He suggests Verstappen's current dominance is due to a lack of equally strong rivals. "He makes the difference. He is a pure racer, and there aren't many of those anymore."* Statistics show Verstappen won 45 of 82 races since 2022.* Comparing eras is complex: * Senna and Prost's careers were marked by more frequent retirements and shorter calendars. * Verstappen has only retired four times due to technical issues since 2021, whereas mechanical failures were common in the 80s and 90s.What's next:This debate highlights the difficulty of comparing drivers across different generations of F1, where car reliability and competitor depth significantly impact perceived dominance.
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