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Max Verstappen has been compared to F1 legend Ayrton Senna by Honda, amid the Japanese marque’s “sad moment” of parting ways with the Red Bull driver.
Honda has compared Max Verstappen to Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna during their departure from the Red Bull team. The end of Honda’s relationship with Red Bull marked a new phase as the brand returns to F1 with Aston Martin. Red Bull’s powertrains division is preparing to launch their own power unit in partnership with Ford for the 2026 season. Former Red Bull design guru Adrian Newey is set to join Honda as AMR26’s designer and Team Principal. Honda’s president, Koji Watanabe, expressed gratitude to Verstappen for their successful partnership, which led to multiple championship wins. Verstappen’s popularity in Japan has soared, drawing comparisons to Senna’s iconic status during his time with Honda. Watanabe admires Verstappen’s attitude and trust in Honda’s engineers, ensuring the Dutchman’s place in their hearts as a symbol of success and collaboration.






