Verstappen receives 'universal' praise as IndyCar question posed

Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe has praised Max Verstappen as a "universal talent" after initially stating that there was no such thing. 

Hinchcliffe, who is part of Formula 1's broadcast team, was assessing whether the new Cadillac F1 team entering the sport in 2026 will opt to sign an IndyCar driver. 

Cadillac's 2026 arrival marks an excellent chance for an IndyCar driver to switch to F1, with the likes of Colton Herta being tipped as a candidate. 

The former driver believes the American team will be considering signing someone currently racing in the United States, and was asked whether it will be difficult to transition to F1. 

"That's the beauty of motorsports: there's no universal talent for driving," Hinchcliffe said on the Red Flags podcast.

"You have drivers who are incredibly talented in one car, but then if you put them in another car, even if it's a similar car, suddenly they can't get it done. Even in Formula 1, you already see this between different teams. 

"It is well known by now that nobody can drive Max's car because of the way Max likes that car and how Newey designed that car. Max can go fast with that in a way that no one else can manage. 

"That's why it's hard to say who would do well from one competition to another. Someone who is good in IndyCar might do fine in Mercedes, but not so well in Red Bull."

'Max is just good at everything'

There are three current IndyCar drivers Hinchcliffe backs at having a chance of being successful in F1: three-time champion Alex Palou, Indy 500 and Daytona winner Josef Newgarden and Herta. 

In Hinchcliffe's opinion, all three share a trait that Verstappen has. The particular trait, is the Red Bull driver's mental reserve. 

"One of the things we talk a lot about with Verstappen is his mental reserve while driving," continued Hinchcliffe. 

"He has so much extra mental capacity available while going full throttle in the lead, thinking about his tire management and being on top of everything anyway. 

"The mental toll that takes is very hard to explain to people who haven't experienced it. Then also to be able to say, 'Hey, I don't think Lando slowed down enough during that yellow flag, can you look at that?' Are you serious?"

Whilst Hinchcliffe rates some IndyCar drivers as having potential in F1, he also believes Verstappen would be comfortable in the American series, to the extent that he went back on an earlier claim.

"When I said there was no universal talent? Max is just good at everything," insisted Hinchcliffe. "I take back that earlier analysis, Max is good at everything."