Horner: Verstappen is a better driver than Hamilton

Christian Horner believes that his Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has been 'the best driver in the world' over the past 12 months and that his achievements have surpassed even those by world champion Lewis Hamilton.

After a controversial first half of 2018, where Verstappen was involved in a number of incidents including a collision with team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, his form has been flawless, capped by a thrilling victory in Austria in the previous race.

The Red Bull has struggled to keep up with Mercedes and Ferrari at times this season and this, argues Horner, proves the case for Verstappen's abilities to be considered the finest in the sport.

He said: "As the driver in the form of his life, arguably over the past 12 months, he's been the best driver in the world.

"He's not in the best car. But when you look at the results he's got out of that car since Montreal last year, some of the performances he's put in, he's made virtually zero mistakes in that period.

"It's only natural that there's always the next generation coming. Lewis has got the benefit of experience, he's still extremely quick, he's in the best car, in a very well-oiled machine.

"Max is very much the coming man. Wouldn't it be fantastic for the sport to see those guys go head-to-head?"

Horner also feels that the 21-year-old has came into his own since the departure of Ricciardo to Renault in the off season and now, paired with Pierre Gasly, he has become the senior member of the team.

He added: "Daniel is such a big character, with a big sense of humour, and Max always outside of the car came a little bit within Daniel's shadow and was the jokey younger brother.

"Since Daniel has left Max has assumed the role of the senior driver within in the team and the responsibility that goes with that. There's a different level of maturity, of direction and sense of purpose with him.

"That has really rounded the package with him."

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