Schumacher offers sensational Verstappen-Hamilton opinion

Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher believes Max Verstappen is better than Lewis Hamilton, with the latter being rated as not "exceptionally talented". 

Verstappen secured a fourth F1 drivers' title to move him level with Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel. Vettel, who claimed all of his titles with Red Bull, is also not regarded as one of the all-time best by Schumacher. 

It was a difficult 2024 F1 season for Verstappen despite walking away with another drivers' championship, due to issues with the RB20 and in the Red Bull camp. 

The off-track issues surrounded team principal Christian Horner, Adrian Newey and also his father, Jos Verstappen, who had a mid-season feud with the Red Bull boss.

However, the Dutchman still managed to extract everything from a challenging car, and navigated his way through all the paddock drama. 

In Schumacher's eyes, this proves the 27-year-old is what makes the difference, compared to Hamilton and Vettel who he insists need everything to be perfect to succeed.

"It just shows that he makes a difference," Schumacher told Sky DE. "Max Verstappen is really able to provide that extra knowledge that these exceptionally talented world champions before him had. 

"There aren't many of them, and I honestly don't count Lewis Hamilton among them. He's certainly an exception, but he, like Sebastian Vettel, always needs the perfect environment and car.

"But Max Verstappen, with what he's achieved this year under these circumstances.... The difficulties with Christian Horner, the departure of Adrian Newey."

Looking solely at Red Bull's season, Verstappen was in a different league to Sergio Perez, who failed to deliver when the issues with the car arose mid-season.

"The car was superior in the beginning, but then a disaster," noted Schumacher. 

"Yet he [Verstappen] manned up and always delivered. And if you compare it to his teammate, it's incredible anyway."