Max Verstappen to finally meet his match with 'star' prediction

Former F1 driver Derek Daly has expressed confidence that a driver will emerge on the F1 grid in the future and prove themselves to be better than Max Verstappen.

Verstappen entered the current season on the back of four straight championships and was largely seen as the man to beat.

However, the Dutchman was not considered a primary contender in the title fight for much of the year as McLaren stretched its legs at the front of the field.

But a late-season surge from Verstappen saw the 28-year-old make a late claim for the championship, missing out by just two points to Lando Norris.

Verstappen received praise from fans and pundits alike for how he closed the gap to the McLarens.

Addressing the Dutchman's F1 status, Daly highlighted his rank of where he compares to other greats has not necessarily changed as a result.

“I think it doesn't necessarily elevate it, it further enhances it,” Daly exclusively told RacingNews365.

“He’s already elevated to such a high platform right now. Remember, it's not too long ago that Red Bull was in turmoil.

“Christian Horner was fired. They had no leadership. The car was not as good as it needed to be, and yet they were able to pull themselves together in a cohesive fashion that almost stole the world championship.”

While Verstappen is largely seen as the benchmark driver in F1 right now, Daly expects that to change going forward.

The four-time champion will be joined at the team next year by second-year driver Isack Hadjar.

The Frenchman is the latest driver who has been chosen to race alongside Verstappen, succeeding a long list of competitors who have struggled against the Dutchman.

When asked if he believes bringing Hadjar in is the right call, Daly said: “Historically, you would say no.

“But if theRed Bull senior team calls up Hadjar and says, ‘Hey, we'd like to promote you’ - do you think he was going to say no?

“A lot of people would say if Hadjar is as good as he appears to be, well then he'll have a perfect opportunity to prove it next year.

“All he has to do is get close to Max and he'll be a star. Somebody will come along that's better than Verstappen somewhere along the line.”