Former F1 World Champion Jenson Button has shared high praise for Max Verstappen, calling him the most complete Formula 1 driver he’s ever seen. Even with challenges in the 2025 season, Button believes Verstappen’s skill stands unmatched in the current grid.
Max Verstappen Called the Most Rounded F1 Driver
Speaking on The Chris Moyles Show on Radio X, Button said Verstappen’s ability to push any car to its limits sets him apart from the rest. He even went as far as calling him the “most rounded F1 driver that there has ever been.”
Verstappen is sitting third in the 2025 standings with 165 points, trailing Oscar Piastri by 69 and Lando Norris by 61. Still, Button feels Verstappen’s all-round abilities prove he’s ahead of everyone in terms of raw driving talent.
“I feel he’s the most rounded F1 driver that there has ever been,” Button said. “And I know he hasn’t won the championships of Lewis [Hamilton]. And I obviously think Lewis is extremely, extremely good and one of the best in the world. But there’s just something about Max that he can do something with a car that I don’t think anyone else can.”
Verstappen’s F1 Record Speaks for Itself
Even if 2025 hasn’t been as smooth, Verstappen’s F1 record is still loaded. The Dutch driver already has four world titles, 65 wins, 44 poles, and 117 podiums since his debut back in 2015.
That kind of consistency is exactly what makes Button believe Verstappen is in a different league. No matter what the car throws at him, he finds a way to extract performance out of it.
Button Thinks McLaren Pair Are Also Elite F1 Drivers
When asked who comes close to Verstappen, Button pointed to McLaren’s current duo — Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
“I think Lando and Oscar are both up there,” he said. “They’re very different personalities. I think Lando can be his own worst enemy. He’s unbelievably quick, but if he makes a tiny mistake… I think he thinks about it too much.
“Oscar is very level-headed. He just wants to go racing, and he wants to drive fast, and he does it very well.”
Hamilton’s Raw F1 Talent Still Gets Button’s Respect
Button also shared memories of racing alongside Lewis Hamilton during their McLaren days between 2010 and 2012. He admitted that Hamilton would often pull off surprise laps during qualifying that left everyone stunned.
“He would struggle in practice, come to qualify, I’m like, ‘Right, I’ve got him. I’m going to have him.’ And he’d just, bang, put in a lap. It just came from nowhere.”
“Extreme talent, and obviously the career he’s had — I’m not sure anyone’s going to beat that, his records. But just thinking about this moment in time, I feel that Max is the one who can do more with a car than anyone else,” Button said.
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