Former Mercedes Driver Sam Bird Calls Max Verstappen's Speed 'Scary'
Sam Bird, a former Mercedes F1 test driver, says he is "in awe" of Max Verstappen's skill, calling the Red Bull driver's relentless speed "scary." Bird, who has worked with Michael Schumacher, claims he's never seen anyone faster in F1 and that Verstappen dominates when given a competitive car.
Former Mercedes test driver and Formula E race winner Sam Bird has expressed profound admiration for Max Verstappen's skill, describing the four-time world champion's relentless speed and ability as "scary." Bird, who has worked alongside legends like Michael Schumacher, places Verstappen in a class of his own in terms of raw pace and racecraft.
Why it matters:
In a sport where marginal gains separate the great from the good, a peer's assessment of Verstappen's unique talent underscores his current standing as Formula 1's benchmark driver. Despite losing the 2025 title to Lando Norris, Verstappen's ability to consistently extract maximum performance from his car, especially in a season where the RB21 was not the outright fastest package for long stretches, solidifies his reputation as a generational talent.
The details:
- Sam Bird, a 12-time Formula E winner and former Mercedes F1 test driver, stated on the BBC's F1 Chequered Flag Podcast that he is "genuinely, completely in awe" of Verstappen's skill level.
- He claimed he has "never seen anybody this fast, ever in Formula 1," placing Verstappen above other champions he has observed closely.
- Bird highlighted Verstappen's "scary" and "relentless" approach, noting that when given a competitive car, he has a tendency to dominate the opposition completely.
- This assessment comes after a 2025 season where Verstappen, driving a Red Bull that was often playing catch-up to McLaren, won six of the final nine races and remained a title contender through sheer consistency and error-free driving.
The big picture:
Bird's comments reinforce a growing narrative within the F1 paddock: Max Verstappen's primary advantage may now be as much about the driver as it is about the car. His ability to outperform the machinery's potential, a trait demonstrated for years against his teammates, paints him as a driver who would be a threat in almost any car on the grid. While the 2025 championship went to Norris, Verstappen's campaign, marked by crucial wins at demanding circuits like Suzuka and Imola with a less dominant car, arguably burnished his reputation for invincibility behind the wheel.