Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has changed his mind about where he ranks Max Verstappen among the greatest drivers of all time.

When it comes to naming F1’s ‘GOAT’, the Dutchman often comes up in the conversation. With four world championships between 2021 and 2024, 73 wins and 136 podiums, he stands as one of the most successful drivers in the sport’s history.

His aggressive driving style and immense one-lap pace make him stand out amongst his rivals. Sebastian Vettel agrees that Verstappen is Red Bull’s best driver, understanding that he is a generational talent.

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However, interestingly, Ecclestone did not have the Dutchman in his list of the top five F1 drivers of all time.

In fact, Lewis Hamilton and Vettel did not feature either. For Ecclestone, Alain Prost stood as his number one pick, followed by Ayrton Senna, seven-time champion Michael Schumacher, three-time champion Niki Lauda, and F1’s only posthumous champion, Jochen Rindt.

However, journalist Ralf Bach says he spoke with Ecclestone, and he wants to revise his list to put Verstappen at number one.

Bach said via F1-Insider’s YouTube channel: “And I’ve also had another chat with Bernie Ecclestone this past week, just like that, out of the blue, as we sometimes do.

“And he did a podcast on YouTube with Eddie Jordan where he named the top five racing drivers of all time. There was Jochen Rindt in fifth, fourth was Niki Lauda, Michael Schumacher in third, Ayrton Senna in second, and Alain Prost in first.

“But he explained that neither Hamilton, nor Verstappen, nor Vettel made the list. Now he’s told me he wants to correct that; he wants to revise it and put Max Verstappen right at the top. That’s what he says, anyway.”

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Ecclestone likened Verstappen to Schumacher after he won the 2024 Sao Paulo GP. The former F1 boss has watched his career closely, and has seen just how great of a talent he is proving to be.

Ecclestone thought Verstappen would be ‘half a second’ faster than his rivals under the 2026 regulations. That has not come true exactly, as he sits fourth in the standings, but he does stand a good chance of finishing P2 after winning the last two races.