WHO IS THE F1 GOAT: ZAK BROWN RANKS AYRTON SENN ABOVE SEVEN-TIME CHAMPION LEWIS HAMILTON
Zak Brown sparks a GOAT debate: Discover why the McLaren CEO ranks Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher above Lewis Hamilton.
People often call Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen two of the best racers ever, but McLaren CEO Zak Brown doesn't think either is in his top two.
Hamilton has won the most in F1, and he and Michael Schumacher (who Brown says is the second-best) both hold the record for seven titles. Juan Manuel Fangio is third with five titles.
Verstappen is tied with Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel with four titles. McLaren's Lando Norris grabbed the 2025 title by only two points, ending Verstappen's four-year run.
Verstappen could have been like Schumacher if he'd won in 2025. Schumacher's still the only racer to win five in a row from 2000 to 2004 for Ferrari. Vettel (2010-2013) and Hamilton (2017-2020) both grabbed four in a row.
Zak Brown thinks Ayrton Senna is the GOAT; prove him wrong
Zak Brown believes Ayrton Senna is the absolute best in F1. Hamilton also has the most Grand Prix wins (105), pole positions (104), and podiums (202). Schumacher is second in each, with 91 wins, 68 poles, and 155 podiums. Verstappen is third for wins (71) and podiums (127) but fifth for poles (48).
Still, Brown thinks Ayrton Senna is the best F1 driver ever. He puts Hamilton and Verstappen behind Schumacher. Senna won three titles before his death at Imola in the 1993 San Marino Grand Prix.
Brown told BAT, Senna is a no-brainer. After that, probably Schumacher. You are wrong. Put Lewis in there, and you have to put Max in there.
But my second favourite is Mario Andretti. I love Mario and the guys who do different things. Nigel Mansell, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Mario Andretti were IndyCar and Formula 1 world champions. That's why I admire Fernando Alonso so much.
When Alonso was like, 'Let's go to Indy [the Indianapolis 500],' not many F1 racers would be up for it. I think after he started, he was like, 'Oh my God.' It's punishing, 230 miles an hour. It's crazy.
Max Verstappen is becoming part of the F1 GOAT talk.
Senna is third in poles (65), fifth in Grand Prix wins (41), and eighth in podiums (80). He also raced in the fewest Grands Prix: 162 versus Hamilton's 380, Schumacher's 308, and Verstappen's 236.
Senna often shone in qualifying and in the rain. But not everyone agrees with Brown that Senna's the best, as Verstappen is getting much praise.
Senna's ex-teammate Stefan Johansson thinks Verstappen is the best ever since he's the most complete. But some might say Verstappen still has to prove himself in close races against his rivals.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
