Honda F1 MD Masashi Yamamoto: ” Verstappen very similar to Ayrton Senna”

Honda F1’s managing director Masashi Yamamoto sees similarities between Max Verstappen and Ayrton Senna, adding that the Dutchman could surpass Senna’s Monaco win tally in the future.

Verstappen’s commanding victory came after being the beneficiary of pole-sitter Charles Leclerc’s inability to start the race, so he was able to lead from lights to flag and take a key win for Red Bull, that took the team to the top of the Constructors’ Championship and propelled Verstappen to the top of the Drivers’ Championship for the first time in his career.

It was also Honda’s first win around Monte Carlo for 29 years, as an engine supplier or factory team. With Honda powering much of Senna’s success in his career, Yamamoto was quick to draw comparisons between the two talents.

“Honda won the Monaco Grand Prix six times in a row from 1987 to 1992, five of those victories coming from Ayrton Senna,” Yamamoto said on a Honda F1 personal blog quoted by RacingNews365.

“Coincidentally, this is the first time for Honda to win in Monaco since Senna in the second season, but I always see an overlap between Verstappen and Ayrton Senna, who is a very special driver for Honda because his driving is very similar to Senna’s.

“At just 23 years of age, he still has the potential to match and surpass Senna’s record of six Monaco victories and I’m delighted to have helped him take that step.”

Yamamoto added that their win in Monaco provided a boost to the team spirit within the company, who continue to put their all into the sport ahead of their departure at the end of 2021.

Christian Horner is pleased to see the team competing at the front of the field, with the Red Bull team principal saying “it’s about time Toto Wolff had something to do” as his team put pressure on Mercedes, with Honda playing their part in propelling the team forward.

“Winning at Monaco, especially in such a difficult race, requires a combination of driver skill, team race strategy, speed in the pits, and the power and drivability of the power unit,” Yamamoto explained.

“So winning here is a real confidence booster for Red Bull Racing Honda and a great morale booster for the whole team as we fight for the championship in the long and difficult season ahead, starting with Azerbaijan. It was an exceptional victory for everyone.”

Toyoharu Tanabe, Honda Racing F1

“It’s fantastic that Honda has claimed its first win at Monaco since Ayrton Senna took the victory back in 1992. We are delighted to have this very special and historic race at a track where we have won several times in the past. There is more reason to celebrate as this is Max Verstappen’s first win here and indeed his first podium. Having no one in front of him on the grid certainly helped a bit, but this win was down to his driving, the Red Bull Racing chassis and our PU, with all three of these elements functioning perfectly.

Sergio Perez also produced a strong performance so that his driving and an excellent team strategy allowed him to move up from ninth on the grid to fourth at the end, bringing home a good number of points for the team’s championship challenge.

For Scuderia AlphaTauri Honda, Pierre Gasly had to deal with having Hamilton behind him for the whole race but he never lost concentration to finish sixth. As for Yuki Tsunoda, he was always going to have a difficult afternoon, starting so far back on the grid, but it was impressive that he completed almost 70 laps on his Hard tyres, before putting in some very quick lap times in clean air after his tyre stop and I’m sure he learned a lot.

With Red Bull Racing, we are now leading both championships, but there are many races still to come and we must continue working to improve.”