Ex-IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe is a Verstappen fan: Here's why!

18:01, 25 Aug

byLudo van Denderen

Max Verstappen is far from being in the fastest car on the Formula 1 field, yet he manages to consistently come out on top. James Hinchcliffe is amazed.

Hinchcliffe is a fan of Max Verstappen. The former IndyCar driver and current analyst regularly sees the Red Bull Racing driver doing things he thinks are impossible: "I think every driver is a Max fan," claims the Canadian in an exclusive interview with GPblog.

"I think a lot of people have read all the articles and can look at the results pages, but I think drivers have a unique appreciation for how exceptional he is at certain parts of this sport."

"Certainly there are some of his wheel-to-wheel racecraft tactics that people don't like, and that is a fairly earned thing. But when it just comes to his pure ability behind the wheel of a race car in almost any scenario, I think he's the best out there at the moment."

James Hinchcliffe admires Max Verstappen

Hinchcliffe sees Verstappen excelling

Hinchcliffe, for example, saw Verstappen shine in Japan and Imola in '25. "He’s not in a car that should be qualifying on pole. He's not in a car that should be winning races. Not even close."

"When you look at a race like Japan where yes, fine, not a track known for a lot of overtaking, but you still to have to do every single lap of that Grand Prix without making a single mistake with that kind of pressure the entire time, it's very difficult."

Additionally, Hinchcliffe sees a complicating factor, namely the RB21, that is difficult to control. "The car isn’t easy to drive at that pace. It’s not like it’s comfortable, just not that fast. He has it in a very uncomfortable place to go at that pace. And so to maintain the composure for that amount of time, his capacity is incredible."