3 step guide for Max Verstappen to become the GOAT
Max Verstappen is now a four-time world champion. The Red Bull driver has made the 2020s decade his and his alone with the kind of success he's achieved. The driver got his first title in 2021, and since then he's continued to improve at every step and become this title-winning juggernaut.
With four titles already under his belt, the conversations about Max Verstappen, who was already one of the greatest talents in F1, began. There are, however, others who already think he's building a claim to become the best there ever was in the sport.
When we talk about the GOAT in F1, several names get thrown around. Michael Schumacher is the GOAT for some; for others, it is Lewis Hamilton. There is a strong lobby for Ayrton Senna as well, while the great Juan Manuel Fangio also has his fair share of support.
As a fan, I've always considered Michael Schumacher to be the GOAT. The German stood out more than anybody else because of the ability to leave a title-contending team in Benetton in 1995 and choose to go on a long-term project with Ferrari that would include years of toil before success.
If Max Verstappen has to usurp Michael Schumacher as the GOAT, there are three steps he would need to take to help him achieve that.
How Max Verstappen can become the GOAT
#1 Beat/Better the record for the most wins and titles
When we talk about becoming the greatest of all time, the first thing a driver has to do is break the already existing records. Michael Schumacher did so when he overtook all the records set by Juan Manuel Fangio (in terms of championships), Alain Prost (in terms of race wins), and Ayrton Senna (in terms of pole positions). Lewis Hamilton also did the same with the German's record, and this helped him stake a claim to being the greatest driver in F1 history.
For Max Verstappen to be considered the GOAT, he needs to beat Lewis Hamilton's records for the most wins, pole positions, and championships.
#2 Go and win with the second team
The second thing has to be Max Verstappen moving on from his current home, Red Bull, and going to a different team and winning there. The first team a driver wins with more often than not is the result of the team being built by the veterans while the driver is the final finishing piece.
In Red Bull's success, while Max Verstappen has been a phenomenal addition, he's also been someone who was one of the later pieces to be added. The foundation was always strong with Adrian Newey and Co. already at the team and doing brilliant work.
Going into the second team would mean Max taking more of a leadership role and bringing more to the table than just prodigious speed. That's something a lot of elite drivers like Alain Prost, Niki Lauda, Michael Schumacher, and others did in their careers. This is something that's missing from Verstappen's resume and would be an amazing addition.
#3 Build the second team around himself
The third and possibly the most important step that sets Michael Schumacher apart from everyone else in F1 history is moving on from a successful team to a team that's not doing as well, and building a project around himself. The 'Ferrari project', which began in 1996, was built around Schumacher and saw him bring key members like Ross Brawn to the team.
If Max Verstappen has to usurp what Michael Schumacher did, he has to move from Red Bull and build a team around himself, and then take it to glory. That's the indelible mark that Schumacher left at Ferrari, and that's the kind of legacy that is unmatched when we talk about some of the greats of the sport.