How F1's Verstappen era compares to Schumacher's early 2000s dominance

As Michael Schumacher did two decades ago with Ferrari, Max Verstappen has emerged as Formula 1's dominant force with his third successive title clinched for Red Bull in 2023 his most emphatic yet. There are many intriguing parallels and key differences between the characteristics and circumstances of a pair of drivers who have bestrode their respective eras

He won so many Formula 1 races. Often they were with such crushing performances that there ended up being a discussion about how he acted during the regular airings of his team’s national anthem.

Back in the early 2000s, Michael Schumacher’s regular ‘conducting’ of the Ferrari mechanics joyously belting out Il Canto degli Italiani drew criticism from former Italian prime minister and president Francesco Cossiga. In 2023, there were countless skits and memes acknowledging that the Dutch/Austrian national anthem combination ringing out after every Max Verstappen/Red Bull walkover is now as familiar to the close of a grand prix as the thumping Brian Tyler-composed refrain is to the introduction.

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Author Alex Kalinauckas

Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.