Max Verstappen astonishes former Mercedes driver: 'It really is scary'

Sam Bird says he is "in awe" of Max Verstappen's ability, labelling the four-time F1 drivers' champion "scary" for his uncompromising approach to racing.

The 12-time E-Prix winner, who is currently reserve driver for Nissan in the all-electric series, does not believe he has seen anyone with comparable speed to the Red Bull star.

Earlier in his career, the British driver spent time as Mercedes F1 test driver, working alongside Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg, but to him, the 71-time grand prix winner stands in a class of one.

Despite losing his crown to Lando Norris, who beat him to the 2025 title by just two points in the superior McLaren MCL39, Verstappen is widely considered to have been the standout performer across the campaign.

The RB21 came on strong later in the year, helping the 28-year-old to victory in six of the final nine rounds, but he was also able to secure wins at Suzuka and Imola earlier in the season and remain in title contention, albeit distance for long periods of the year.

In the process, he again proved his ability to maximise whatever is on offer on any given weekend, rarely making mistakes and defying expectations, even when his car has not looked competitive.

That has been the case for a number of years now, with the Dutchman able to extract significantly more from his Red Bull than his team-mates, with those cars designed in his image.

It has painted the picture that Verstappen would be competitive in almost any car on the grid, with Bird pointing out that if given a decent package, he has tended to blow the opposition away.

"I'm, as a driver, genuinely, completely in awe of his skill level," the 38-year-old said on the BBC's F1 Chequered Flag Podcast.

"I don't think I've ever seen anybody this fast, ever in Formula 1. 

"He's so relentless. It's scary. It really is scary. If you give him the car, he's dominating."