Max Verstappen and Alain Prost now share a common achievement, with both having secured four world titles in Formula 1. Prost, who earned his titles competing against notable drivers like Senna, Piquet, and Mansell, believes that his coincidence with Verstappen is purely circumstantial. He is convinced that Verstappen will continue to expand his record in the coming seasons.
Prost is known for speaking his mind, and his thoughts on Verstappen’s titles are particularly interesting. Last year, he suggested that Verstappen’s titles were somewhat devalued because he hadn’t faced strong competition from multiple teams. However, after Verstappen’s impressive performance in the 2024 championship, where he won with a car lower than McLaren or Ferrari in most of the season, Prost seems to recognize his merits without reservation.
Prost has stated, “He is a great champion, has shown that he is the best, so being on par with four titles with someone like him doesn’t worry me. In fact, I am sure that he can overcome me and that he will undoubtedly do so in the coming years.” When asked to compare Verstappen to a driver from his time, Prost hesitated, stating that he never wants to compare pilots from different eras.
However, he did draw a comparison between Verstappen and his former teammate, Niki Lauda, the 1984 champion with McLaren. Prost noted that like Lauda, Verstappen is known for his frankness, always speaking his mind and saying what he thinks. This honesty makes Verstappen an attractive figure, according to Prost.
Has changed in less than a year
A review of Prost’s opinion from last year, after Red Bull’s dominant performance in 2023, reveals a distinct change in his perspective. At the time, he believed that the value of a winning pilot was greater when they faced competition from multiple teams. He argued, “Today, the great teams are organized a little more with a number one pilot, number two, especially with Max Verstappen in Red Bull. It is a bit different from my time, but I still think that if you have a fight for a championship with two or three different teams, the value of the winning pilot is always greater.”
