Verstappen Says He Remains F1's Best Driver
The Red Bull-Ford driver starts 21st in Brazil after a 30-place power-unit penalty.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Motorsports
Max Verstappen said he still considers himself Formula 1's best driver. He is listed 21st on the FIA's provisional starting grid for the Brazilian Grand Prix after receiving a 30-place power-unit sanction.
Why it matters
Verstappen's comments come after Lando Norris won the 2025 championship and Kimi Antonelli won the 2026 title. The grid penalty leaves him needing to work through traffic to score points on Sunday.
The FIA provisional grid places Verstappen 21st following a 30-place power-unit sanction. The starting position reflects the penalty only; final race placement is not yet determined.
The players
Max Verstappen
Dutch Formula 1 driver who entered the sport as a 17-year-old in 2015 and drives for Red Bull-Ford.
Lando Norris
British Formula 1 driver who won the 2025 world championship.
Kimi Antonelli
Italian Formula 1 driver who won the 2026 world championship.
The details
Verstappen made the comments to RacingNews365 and other Dutch media in Brazil. He drives for Red Bull-Ford, whose car has improved recently, and he has won a race in 2026.
Timeline
2015: Verstappen entered Formula 1 as a 17-year-old.
2025 season: Lando Norris won the world championship.
2026 season: Kimi Antonelli won the world championship.
Sunday, November 2026: Brazilian Grand Prix race.
Season Trajectory
Verstappen's claim comes as Norris and Antonelli hold the last two championships, both more recent than his own titles. The Brazil grid penalty leaves him trailing the front of the field heading into the final race stretch.
Verstappen starts 21st after a 30-place power-unit penalty, so his points chances depend on how many cars he can pass in the opening laps. Fantasy and betting players tracking the Brazil race should account for the grid drop.
The takeaway
A large grid penalty reshuffles expectations for a race even when a driver remains a contender. Watching early-lap traffic management will show how much of the season's gap Verstappen can recover in Brazil.
What happens next
The Brazilian Grand Prix race is scheduled for Sunday in November 2026.
Further reading
For more on the sport's latest results and standings, see Motorsports.
