David Coulthard Ranks Max Verstappen Above Lewis Hamilton in F1 Champion Debate
The never-ending Formula 1 debate over who truly belongs at the top of the sport has been reignited, this time by a voice that carries serious weight. Former McLaren star David Coulthard has offered his definitive verdict on the greatest champions in F1 history — and his conclusion will not sit comfortably with every Lewis Hamilton fan.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Red Flags Podcast, Coulthard placed Max Verstappen ahead of Hamilton when directly comparing the two modern-era icons, a decision that instantly stirred discussion across the F1 world.
Coulthard, who claimed 13 Grand Prix victories during his own career, knows exactly what elite performance looks like. The Scotsman spent his most successful years at McLaren between 1997 and 2003, with an earlier breakthrough win at Williams coming just one year after he was called up to replace the late Ayrton Senna. Although a world title eluded him, Coulthard finished runner-up to Michael Schumacher in 2001 — a season widely regarded as one of the most competitive of its era.
Despite never lifting the drivers’ trophy himself, Coulthard’s perspective on greatness is shaped by years of racing against legends and witnessing champions at their absolute peak.
When ranking Formula 1’s all-time greats, Coulthard whittled his list down to a semi-final showdown between Verstappen and Hamilton — mirroring the rivalry that reached boiling point during the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Asked to choose between the seven-time world champion and the four-time reigning title holder, Coulthard did not hesitate.
“I’m going to go with Max,” he said.
The decision, Coulthard explained, was not rooted in disrespect toward Hamilton, but rather in what he believes Formula 1 ultimately rewards: speed, consistency, and relentless progression.
According to the former Red Bull driver, separating Hamilton at his very best from Verstappen at his current level is extraordinarily difficult. However, Coulthard suggested that Hamilton may no longer be operating at his absolute peak — a claim he admitted would sound controversial coming from someone without a world title to his name.
“What the greats tend to do is match or dominate their team-mates,” Coulthard explained. “And in the last couple of years, Lewis hasn’t done that.”
Coulthard pointed specifically to Hamilton’s recent head-to-head records, noting that the last time he comprehensively beat a team-mate across every season they competed together was during Valtteri Bottas’ tenure at Mercedes from 2017 to 2021. Since then, Hamilton has found himself pushed — and at times outperformed — by George Russell, and more recently by Charles Leclerc following his move to Ferrari.
For Coulthard, these internal battles matter just as much as championship tallies.
“In Formula 1, when you strip everything away, there are only two things that truly count,” he said. “The stopwatch and the chequered flag. Everything else is opinion.”
While Coulthard was quick to stress that Hamilton deserves enormous respect for his achievements, he hinted that the raw, crushing pace that once defined the Briton’s dominance may no longer be as consistent as it once was.
By contrast, Verstappen appears to Coulthard to be a driver who is still evolving.
“With Max, it feels like there’s still another level to come,” he said. “It feels like he’s still developing. The scary part is asking just how far he can go.”
That sense of unfinished potential ultimately tipped the scales. While Hamilton’s legacy is already secured among the sport’s immortals, Verstappen’s trajectory suggests that his story is still being written — and possibly at an even higher ceiling.
Interestingly, despite ranking Verstappen above Hamilton, Coulthard stopped short of naming the Red Bull star as the outright greatest of all time. In the final round of his rankings, he chose Ayrton Senna as Formula 1’s ultimate benchmark, placing Verstappen just behind the Brazilian icon.
Still, Coulthard’s assessment reinforces a growing sentiment within the paddock: Verstappen is no longer just the dominant driver of the present, but a figure rapidly reshaping the sport’s historical hierarchy.
And with time still firmly on his side, the question Coulthard posed may soon become unavoidable — just how great can Max Verstappen become? 🏁
