Verstappen would have died 'three or four times' in Fangio era

Former McLaren Formula 1 driver Bruno Giacomelli has said that Max Verstappen would not have survived in past generations of grand prix cars.

Giacomelli competed in Formula 1 for seven-years between 1977 and 1983, returning for a single campaign in 1990, and the Italian says that the lack of fear in young drivers would have killed them in years gone by.

“Looking at the results, Schumacher has won seven world championships," Giacomelli told it.motorsport.com. "Fangio won five, but Fangio won them with different cars and at a time when people were dying, you know what I mean?

“Do you know what it means to die? It means that Verstappen, if he had driven the 80s cars that I drove, would have died at least three or four times.

“Nowadays drivers are no longer afraid in a Formula 1 car, because they are very safe.”

Jos Verstappen on Max fear factor: "Nice isn't it?"Read more

Verstappen has repeatedly come under fire from his rivals for his aggressive driving style, although his father Jos Verstappen recently made comment the it was "nice" to know that rivals Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel got nervous when being caught by the Dutchman.

READ MORE: Red Bull sign Sergio Aguero!

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