If you were a Formula 1 team manager, then who would be your best pick for the first driver? Here's what Emerson Fittipaldi has to say about the same.
Max Verstappen took the Formula 1 grid by storm after his debut into the sport. The youngest driver on the grid would goon break numerous records within the span of few years. In 2021, he clinched his first Formula 1 title against the likes of Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen beat him in the final race of the season to begin a dance of domination for the upcoming years.
The rapid progress shown by Max Verstappen was enough to put him among the top rated drivers. Very soon, people were comparing him to the likes of Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. From 2022 to 2024, the Formula 1 community saw a display of race craft and domination like no other. Even in 2025, with a hardly competitive car, Verstappen was able to keep up the fight for the championship. He may dropped out of the championship battle in 2025 due to the slow performance of his Red Bull. But, his achievements in the past still put him above the majority of the drivers.
In the sport of Formula 1, once a driver makes a name for himself he is often compared to the greats from the history. Max Verstappen’s growth and results were easily enough to bring him to the front of the pack. He is often the part of many discussions involving the perfect driver and the best a team can have.
In 2025, he was being nagged constantly about a contract Mercedes. At one point, even Toto Wolff had to accept that he was in contact with Max about a potential seat at the Silver Arrows. Emerson Fittipaldi, in an interview with Motorsports.com, claimed that he would choose Max Verstappen above every other driver.
“If I had a Formula 1 team and if I had the option to hire anybody, then I would hire Max. Max would be my first guy to hire. I think Max is on a different level as a racing driver. Even when the car is not good, he just carries the car on his back.”
Fittipaldi also did not shy away from claiming that Verstappen is carrying the Red Bull team. After all, he is the only Red Bull driver to have scored a podium finish for a long time. Verstappen is the third in the driver standings.
Compared to the Dutchman, his teammate has negligible contributions to the team and their performance. The effect that the four-time champion has on the grid and the Formula 1 fans isn’t going away anywhere soon. A good car is all he needs to make sure that the championship battle becomes a way between talents.
nhl 
