F1 legend: 'Verstappen would have been the best in my time'

1979 Formula 1 World Champion Jody Scheckter has stated that MaxVerstappen would have been the driver to beat during his era.Verstappen has won three consecutive titles and has dominated thelast two seasons in F1, winning 77 per cent of races since thestart of 2022. The Dutchman now sits third all-time in Grand Prixwins, behind only Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. Scheckterraced in F1 during the 1970s, an era that included high-profilenames such as Jackie Stewart and Niki Lauda. Winning 10 Grands Prixduring his stint in F1, Scheckter prevailed in the WorldChampionship fight in his second last year in the sport, beatingGilles Villeneuve to the title. Amid his period of dominance inF1's current era, the South African believes that Verstappen wouldhave prevailed during those times as well. “He is better thananyone who ran in my era,” Scheckter told Gazzetta della Sport .“The difference that is sometimes pointed out is that people saythat in those days they were 'real men' who risked their lives.“The cars often broke down, not the Ferrari but the Tyrrell did forexample. I realised later that I was lucky: my greatest success wasto stay alive, and I never even ended up in a helicopter to thehospital. “I started out a bit reckless, like everyone, when you'reyoung you try to show talent and courage. “Max did it too and Ididn't like the way he raced at the start of his career, because heshowed no respect to the other drivers. “Then the penny droppedwith him too, that you don't win races and especially championshipsif you cause incidents and contact with other cars.”