Max Verstappen has officially joined the exclusive club of four-time Formula 1 world champions, with even his toughest critics forced to acknowledge his exceptional talent.
Speaking after the Dutchman clinched the title despite missing the podium in Las Vegas, Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko admitted the team owes its latest success entirely to Verstappen.
"Without Max Verstappen, Red Bull would not be a winning team right now," Marko declared.
Verstappen, 27, kicked off his quadruple championship celebrations in Sin City with characteristic humour. "I've had four beers and two gin and tonics," he said. "Mainly I feel relief. The race wasn't great, but actually it was better than I expected."
The championship battle officially ended when Lando Norris, his closest rival this season, failed to finish ahead of Verstappen on Saturday. McLaren boss Zak Brown congratulated Verstappen during a live interview with Sky, prompting a cheeky response from the Red Bull driver.
"Like you said before," Verstappen quipped to Brown, "I could only win it in the fastest car. It's been a little different this year."
Brown later clarified that his earlier comments were not intended to "question Max's qualities as a driver."
Verstappen, however, made his position clear to reporters. "If people are critical and think I can only win in the best car, then I prove them wrong. If I don't get credit for this now, then I don't know what else I can do.
"Would I have become champion in the McLaren? Yes, and much earlier too," he said. "In 2021, I also would have won the title in the other car."
Among those praising Verstappen was two-time champion Fernando Alonso, who compared him favourably to four-time title winner Sebastian Vettel during the German's dominant years.
"When Vettel won his four titles, he had an incredible car and no competition," Alonso said. "The best example of Max's talent was Brazil, where he performed purely on his ability. I don't think the car was built for that position."
Marko echoed this view, stating that Verstappen's talent masked the car's weaknesses. "He covered up the car's flaws with his driving skills and brilliance," he said.
Alain Prost, the only other four-time champion apart from Vettel and Verstappen, expressed his admiration for the 27-year-old.
"It's a great pride to be joined by Max now, alongside Sebastian—people and drivers I appreciate," Prost told Canal Plus.
"This year, the championship was very different for Max, and he showed something a little different. It reflects what he has become over the years.
"When you see everything that has happened this season, from the sporting level to the non-sporting level, you realise how much composure he has shown. Without a driver like Max, a team can fall apart in such a situation.
"He's become a more than complete driver, certainly one of the best in history. So I'm very proud to be joined in the very exclusive club of four titles."
Marko was equally glowing in his assessment, emphasising Verstappen's intelligence and adaptability. "I think for Max, the talent and the brains are on a par now. He was fast in the beginning, and now he knows exactly how to use his head too.
"He is a perfect driver," Marko continued. "This fourth world championship crown does not belong to Red Bull. It is solely due to Max Verstappen.
"In terms of driving, no driver has been able to hold a candle to him for years. He is an exceptional talent, the likes of which Formula 1 has rarely seen."
