Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, is adamant that Max Verstappen is the best driver on the Formula 1 grid.<\/p>\n
In a rare interview, \u2018The Iceman\u2019 harked back to Verstappen\u2019s victory on Red Bull debut, a scene Raikkonen got a front-row seat to witness. A \u201cstar was born\u201d in that moment, said Raikkonen, with Verstappen<\/a> having gone on to win four world championships in an already legendary Formula 1 career.<\/p>\n Kimi Raikkonen reflects on Max Verstappen\u2019s breakthrough Red Bull victory<\/p>\n Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list<\/a> for news you can trust.<\/p>\n It was back at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix where Verstappen claimed victory at the very first attempt with the Red Bull senior team.<\/p>\n Sealing his maiden win that day, Verstappen crossed the line six tenths ahead of Raikkonen\u2019s Ferrari.<\/p>\n By 2021, Verstappen had achieved his lifelong goal of becoming world champion.<\/p>\n That marked the start of four consecutive Verstappen title wins. Despite falling just two points short of a remarkable fifth crown, Verstappen was voted the best driver of 2025, both by his peers and the F1 team bosses.<\/p>\n When asked by Quotidiano Sportivo<\/a> to name the best driver on the F1 grid, Raikkonen\u2019s answer was clear.<\/p>\n \u201cVerstappen! I saw him make his F1 debut during my second spell at Ferrari. Max is phenomenal.<\/p>\n \u201cHe won his first race in Spain right in front of me, ten years ago. That\u2019s when I realised a star was born.\u201d<\/p>\n More on Max Verstappen from PlanetF1.com<\/p>\n Max Verstappen warns F1 2027 changes are \u2018minimum necessary\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Verstappen undone as Hamilton\u2019s Ferrari masterclass flips Canadian GP battle<\/a><\/p>\n Raikkonen, who became one of F1\u2019s most popular characters thanks to his no-nonsense demeanour and hilarious outbursts, remains Ferrari\u2019s most recent world champion.<\/p>\n Raikkonen reached the summit for the only time in 2007, emerging victorious from a title battle which also included McLaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.<\/p>\n Skip forward to F1 2026 and Hamilton, now a Ferrari driver, is striving to win a record eighth championship. Ferrari\u2019s homegrown star Charles Leclerc holds the same ambition to end Ferrari\u2019s wait for a new champion.<\/p>\n Mercedes has emerged as the leading force at the start of F1 2026. Hamilton scored Ferrari\u2019s best result so far this season with P2 in Canada.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I left the Scuderia at the end of 2018, I wished the team every success in quickly finding my successor in the championship roll of honour,\u201d said Raikkonen.<\/p>\n \u201cIt hasn\u2019t happened yet, but from a distance I can see encouraging signs.\u201d<\/p>\n Raikkonen won 21 grands prix across his glittering, title-winning F1 career.<\/p>\n His final appearance came at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, a race which went down in F1 folklore as Verstappen won his first championship and ended Hamilton\u2019s streak in the process.<\/p>\n Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp<\/a> to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.<\/p>\n You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel<\/a> for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!<\/p>\n