Jos Verstappen has named Williams driver Alex Albon as the greatest karting driver of all time. The remarkable assessment was revealed by former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard, who was present when the statement was made.
The comment came during a dinner attended by Coulthard, Mark Webber, Martin Brundle, and Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen. Coulthard recounted the conversation on the ‘Up To Speed’ podcast, expressing his surprise at the declaration.
‘We were talking about drivers and karting, and Jos went, ‘Alex Albon, in karting, was the karting GOAT,” Coulthard explained. ‘He went, ‘That kid in karting was unbelievable.”
Coulthard noted that the praise was particularly striking because Jos Verstappen is typically reserved when offering opinions on drivers other than his son, Max. The high regard from someone so deeply involved in the karting scene underscores Albon’s talent in his junior career.
Albon’s record in karting supports this high praise. He began competing in 2005 at the age of eight and quickly secured national championships in the UK. His career progressed steadily, moving into the competitive KF3 category in 2008.
The 2010 season was a particular highlight for the Thai driver. Competing against a field that included Max Verstappen, Albon won both the CIK-FIA European Championship and the CIK-FIA World Cup.
The following year, in 2011, he graduated to the senior KF1 category. He continued his strong form by finishing as the runner-up in the CIK-FIA World Championship, cementing his status as one of the top talents of his generation.
During this period, Albon was a direct rival of Max Verstappen. Albon has previously described their on-track relationship as having ‘good battles’ and some crashes. He saw himself as the experienced driver, while Verstappen was the ‘young gun everyone needed to beat’.
Reflecting on their rivalry in 2010, Albon acknowledged that Verstappen beat him to the WSK Championship title. However, Albon ultimately secured the more prestigious World Championship that same year, a victory he stated helped accelerate his career.
Coulthard believes Jos Verstappen’s assessment is significant. He suggested that if Albon was such a standout talent in karting, his full potential in Formula 1 could be realised if Williams can provide him with a more competitive car.
