Jenson Button says Max Verstappen has “annihila✃ted” his Formula 1 teammates in a similar manner to the likes of Ayrton Senna and Michael Sch♎umacher. 

Verstappen currently sits second in the championship and is 37 points behind Lewis Hamilton after a run of five consecutive podium finishe🍰s that has including a top two appear𓆏ance in each of the past four races, and a win at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone. 

In contrast, Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Alex Albon has only managed a best result of fourth place and is 55 points further back, sitting P6🎶 in the championship standings. 

Verstappen has not been beaten by a teammate in the F1🐽 world championship since he went up against Daniel Ricciardo back in 2017 - though he did out-qualify the Australian 13-7 that year. He has comprehensively outperformed Pierre Gasly and Albon since Ricciardo departed for Renault. 

"You compare him to his𝐆 team-mates the last two years, he has just annihilated th𓆉em," Button told the Australian Grand Prix’s ‘In the Fast Lane’ podcast.

"I haven't seen that in motorsport for a very long time, probably back to the Ayrton Senna days, and Michael ꦆSchumacher d𒁏ays.

"I don't think there's been a driver that's annihilated their team-mate like he has ꦦin a very long time.

"He is doing an exceptionalღ job. I would love to see him go up against Lewis [Hamilton] in a c🐎hampionship fight.

"Those two, top of their game, it's what wꦿe all want to see. Iꦬs it ever going to happen? I don't know.”

The 2009 world champion believes Verstappen’s superiority over Albon at Red Bull has actually left🥂 the Dutchman facing a tougher time making progress.  

“Alex is a long way off of Max,” Button explained. “It’s tough for [Max] because now he doesn’t have the competitive ꧅teammate, really. He’s out on his own. He’s probably not able to progress as much because his teammate isn’t wh💙ere he is at in terms of pace.

“When your teammate’s half a second off you, which he normally is, you don’t tend to listen to his set-up changes and his set-up work, so you’re basically a one-car team, so it’s tougher. He looks to the Mercedes and I💞 think it fr⭕ustrates him. 

“I think Silverstone was awesome — what a great result — but then, Barcelona, you can hear the frustration in his voice on♉ the radio. He just can’t challenge them because he doesn’t have the car underneath him. 

“So it’s tough for him, but he’s just got to 🏅do the best job he can with what he has.”