Who makes Jenson Button's list of top-six Formula 1 drivers?

Formula 1

Who makes Jenson Button's list of top-six Formula 1 drivers?

The 2009 F1 champion reveals all

Ian Parkes

Friday 17 April 2020 13:00

Jenson Button has revealed his list of the top six drivers he competed against during his Formula 1 career.

Button opted against an all-time list due to the problems in comparing drivers from different eras, so instead went for those across his 17 seasons in F1, from 2000-2016.

As Button explained: "It's the only way I can really judge them because I've been on the track with them. I always find it difficult comparing someone like [Juan Manuel] Fangio to someone like Lewis [Hamilton] - decades apart, completely different sport."

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Speaking in a Sky Sports Vodcast, the 2009 world champion with Brawn said: "So for me it would be...I'll stick Lewis [Hamilton] in there. Fernando Alonso. [I have] been team-mates with both of them, immense talents in very different ways.

Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are on Button's list

"Sebastian Vettel - doing four [titles] on the bounce was a big deal, I really do think.

"He's struggling a little bit more now I would say, going through tough times with such a competitive team-mate [Charles Leclerc], but I think it's going to make him a better driver in the future."

Button accused Vettel of making "some silly mistakes, which I'm sure he would say are silly mistakes as well" but has no doubts the German will respond.

Button added: "I also think he'll come out of the other side of this as a better driver. I really do.

Button claims Sebastian Vettel "has made some silly mistakes"

"He's got someone that's really pushed him, and beaten him throughout the season, so I think he'll come back stronger. He has immense talent, and I think we will see that once we get racing this year."

Resuming his list, Button said: "I have to say Max Verstappen. I didn't race with him for many years, but seeing his performances in tricky conditions like in Brazil 2016, that is just out of this world, staggering what he can do with a car.

It is "staggering what he can do with a car" - Button on Verstappen

"For me, he always arrives at turn one and he looks totally out of control, and any other driver would have crashed five times by the time he turns into turn one, but he keeps away from all the other cars and threads the needle

"The other two are from my early days in F1 - which would be Mika Hakkinen, and obviously the great Michael Schumacher."