Why F1 Drivers Are 'Jealous' After Max Verstappen's Latest Triumph

Verstappen even owns a team in the GT World Challenge and has expressed a desire to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours in the future.

He became the first active F1 driver to compete in another series mid-season since Fernando Alonso won the famous French endurance race with Toyota while dovetailing a World Endurance Championship campaign with his McLaren duties.

Alonso missed the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix to chase glory at that year's Indianapolis 500, while current Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg also won Le Mans with Porsche in 2014, with the race not clashing with an F1 weekend that term.

Addressing Verstappen's feat, Mercedes driver George Russell said: "It’s incredible, to be honest.

“I think we're all pretty jealous of it, because having this freedom of firstly doing what you love in Formula 1, but then also being able to go out and race other things and just enjoy it at your leisure... I don't think it's quite that straightforward for other people doing it, but you have that right when you win four world championships, and we're all here fighting to win our first.

“Maybe after four championships under our belts, we'll be able to choose to do the same. But no, I respect it a lot and definitely I would love to do it one day. Brilliant.”

"One of the best"

When asked how it would affect Verstappen's legacy, current title protagonist and McLaren driver Lando Norris replied: “I don't know how much it adds to your greatness or not, but the fact he can go into any series and be probably the best does show how good he is and how great he is.

“I've said it many times, I think he's born to be and will forever be one of the best ever, and if not the best in Formula 1.

“So I think for anyone to have a chance of going up against him and beating him is pretty slim at times. But no, it's cool. I respect it. I think it's a great thing. If I could go and do it more, maybe I would.”

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