"He is literally the fastest": Damon Hill lauds Max Verstappen for setting the record for the fastest ever F1 race

Former F1 driver Damon Hill reacted as Max Verstappen set the record for the quickest Formula 1 race in history as he crossed the chequered flag at Monza in 1 hour, 13 minutes, and 23 seconds. This happened a day after the Dutchman had set the record for the fastest qualifying, with his average speed at 164.46mph.

Being the Temple of Speed, Monza is no stranger to the record of the quickest F1 race. The previous record was held by Michael Schumacher, who finished the 2003 Italian GP in 1 hour, 14 minutes, and 19 seconds. The record had been on the verge of breaking multiple times; however, external factors like safety cars kept it from happening.

The race yesterday, which was almost incident-free, opened the chance for Max Verstappen to clinch the record, and he did, after delivering a commanding victory.

1996 F1 Champion Damon Hill labeled Verstappen the "fastest," reacting to his victory.

"It had to be him [Verstappen]," he wrote on his Instagram story. "He is literally the fastest."

Damon Hill reacts to Max Verstappen's Monza record (@96f1champ on Instagram)

It was a dominant run from Verstappen. He started the race in pole position but had to give the lead to McLaren's Lando Norris as he out-braked himself into turn 1. However, that wasn't an obstacle for the Dutchman as he was quick enough to get back in the lead in the following laps.

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Max Verstappen lauds improvement in Red Bull as he pinpoints mistake from McLaren which gave him the huge lead

As the medium compound tire proved to be a promising one in the race, both McLarens remained out for an incredibly long time, only pitting in the final few laps for the soft tire. Meanwhile, Red Bull had boxed Verstappen much earlier.

This, as the 27-year-old explained, was one of the reasons he had a massive lead over his competitors. He also mentioned that the RB21 has improved quite a bit, considering its behavior in early races.

"It just seems like this weekend has been another step forward with the behaviour of the car and that also then shows in the race," Max Verstappen told the media.

"Of course, McLaren stayed out to try and gamble for the safety car, and I think that’s why the gap is a little bit bigger than it should have been. But still for us, an incredible weekend."

While this was a strong win for Max Verstappen, it still does not put him anywhere close to championship contention. This was only his third victory of the season, and the first since Imola.