The 2025 F1 season has barely kicked off, and Ferrari is already generating buzz around their new driver, Lewis Hamilton. With high expectations for what he can achieve in the upcoming season with the Italian team, a statement from a former F1 star has sparked a new angle in the ongoing GOAT debate in Formula 1, one in which neither Hamilton nor Michael Schumacher top the list.
While both Hamilton and Schumacher are tied for the most F1 titles with seven championships each, many consider Schumacher to be the greatest of all time. Dominating the early 2000s, Schumacher’s addition to Ferrari remains one of the most significant in the team’s history.
Hamilton, too, has carved out a remarkable legacy with McLaren and Mercedes, delivering some of his best performances in his career. He also surpassed Schumacher as the driver with the most pole positions in F1 history. Now, in his first season with Ferrari, Hamilton has the potential to become the first driver to win eight championships.
However, despite the achievements of these two drivers, former F1 star Jaime Alguersuari weighed in on the GOAT debate during an interview with TalkSport, naming his pick after having competed against both Hamilton and Schumacher on track.
“We have to understand that Max [Verstappen] is probably the best driver ever in F1. And that’s because of his complete education, his experience, and his mindset. It’s unbelievable to see what he did in Australia, especially driving a car that is not at all the best on the grid,“ Alguersuari said.
Alguersuari explains why he chose Verstappen over Hamilton and Schumacher
Jaime Alguersuari didn’t hold back when discussing his belief that Max Verstappen is the greatest of all time (GOAT) in Formula 1. In addition to making the bold claim, the Spanish driver explained why he chose Verstappen over other legends like Hamilton and Schumacher. With just three years in the sport, Alguersuari had the unique opportunity to compete against Verstappen, Hamilton, and Schumacher, with the Dutch driver emerging as his top choice.
“He’s simply able to handle every kind of situation or problem better than anyone else. It’s as simple as that,” Alguersuari said. “[It’s his] intelligence, how he reads the car, how he feels the car, how he manages the tires, how he approaches the race, and how he performs even when he’s not in the car, understanding the dynamics of the sport.”
Alguersuari’s F1 career
Despite not securing a race win in his three years in Formula 1, Alguersuari was one of the first drivers to help develop the Toro Rosso project, Red Bull’s sister team. Throughout his brief F1 career, he earned significant recognition, notably becoming the youngest driver to score points at the age of 19.
However, his career didn’t unfold as expected. His best season came in 2011, when he managed to score points in seven races, with a seventh-place finish being his best result that year.